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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27894781">Marauders &amp; Co.</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticalStarlight/pseuds/FantasticalStarlight'>FantasticalStarlight</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Marauders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:55:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>78,575</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27894781</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FantasticalStarlight/pseuds/FantasticalStarlight</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The chronicles of the final years of Marauders and Company at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Filled with shenanigans, heartbreak, Quidditch, Ogden's Firewhiskey, love, friendship, pranks, and coming-of-age. This is the story of how Lily Evans stopped hating James Potter, the story of where the Boy Who Lived got his start, the story of how love triumphs over hate.</p><p>**Cross-posted to FanFic.net</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. An Arrogant Bullying Toerag</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Sod off.” Lily grunted at her roommate. Her day had started out perfectly fine and gone from bad to worse to absolute worst day of her life.</p><p>“Lily, please come out! We just want to make sure you’re okay!” Alice sounded suitably exasperated for someone who had been trying to get her friend to uncharm her bed curtains for the better part of an hour. “We need to talk about it. You know it’s true! Neither Marlene nor I think that about you and certainly not Ja-”</p><p>It sounded like a gun had gone off in the room. The curtains snapped back from the bed and a furious Lily glared daggers at her both girls. “DO NOT TALK ABOUT THAT ARROGANT TOERAG IN FRONT OF ME EVER AGAIN!”</p><p>Marlene grabbed Lily’s arm before she could close the curtains again. With little effort, the tall blonde dragged the redhead out of bed and onto the floor of the dormitory. They went down in a heap. The taller girl managing to get the upper hand on the way down. Marlene was sitting on Lily’s stomach and had her arms pinned at her sides so that the smaller girl couldn’t swat at her anymore.</p><p>“While I have never understood your friendship with Sn- Severus,” Marlene caught herself, “and I don’t think what James did was right. You have to admit that Severus should not have called you a you-know-what. No. Lily, listen to me. Potter can be an absolute arse. And yes, he is a bullying toerag sometimes. But…I dunno Lily, staying angry like this is just not healthy. Right, Alice?”<br/>The brunette had sat down on the floor and was leaning up against the bed. “I agree with Marlene, Lily. You’ve had a pretty rotten day. I’d say both boys are tossers and you should just spend the next few days avoiding them. Then you can spend the whole summer forgetting about them.”</p><p>Lily glared at her friends. Sure, just get over her awful day. Not like it was going to be an awful summer now too. She was certain that the summer was going to be spent with Petunia being more unpleasant than usual on account of her new ‘beau’. Potter was sure to write multiple times a day in attempt to get her to go out with him. She would be effectively cut off from the magical world. And to put the fucking cherry on top, her father had been diagnosed with cancer. It felt like the whole world was crashing down around her ears. How she had made it through the Charms exam today was beyond her. She could feel the tears welling in her eyes, both from anger and sadness.</p><p>“Oh, Lily please don’t cry! Everything will be alright. I’ll steal James’s owl from him this summer if that’s what you need!” Alice motioned for Marlene to let Lily up. The three girls sat on the floor, the two hugging the one.</p><p>Lily swiped furiously at the tears. “Please do. At least for the first week.” Marlene and Alice laughed and helped pull her up from the floor. Alice affirmed that she would steal the owl and that she would keep the boy from writing her every hour of the day.</p><p>“I’ll steal Black’s so that James can’t borrow his.” Marlene beamed, she was always prepared to do something that annoyed Sirius. From hexes to pranks to petty theft, Marlene knew how to get under the boy’s skin. “Maybe I’ll even teach the owl to bite him when he delivers mail. Wouldn’t that be brilliant?”</p><p>Lily couldn’t help but grin. Marlene disliked Sirius almost as much as Lily hated James. It was all too often that Alice was pulling one of her friends out of a heated argument with a black-haired boy.</p><p>“Why don’t we go down to dinner?” Alice suggested, quickly adding, “We’ll sit far, far away from the Marauders.”</p><p>“Can we go to the library after to study for Transfiguration? I feel like my brain has gone to mush after today.” Marlene rolled her eyes at Lily but the three agreed to take their Transfiguration notes with them to dinner to finish cramming before their final exam tomorrow.</p><hr/><p>James watched as the three Gryffindor girls entered the Great Hall. He was halfway to standing when an arm on either side of him yanked him back into his seat. Across the table from him Sirius flicked his wand, effectively silencing James. Remus glanced from Sirius to James and grinned.</p><p>“Thank you, Padfoot. We can’t have Prongs here making an even bigger arse of himself today, now can we?” James was clutching at his throat while opening and closing his mouth. No sound was coming out. Despite this, you could tell he wasn’t singing praise to Sirius.</p><p>“Exactly, Moony. Now Prongs, as much as I enjoy dangling Snivellus upside down, I don’t think Evans had much of a taste for it. Moony, Wormtail?”</p><p>Both boys looked at James and nodded. They had these sad, pitiful looks on. “Now, Moony, Wormtail, what do you propose we do? Prongsie here can do one of two things. One, he can continue to torture dear old Snivelly for the next four days and spend all summer thinking of new ways to do so. Or two, he can lay low and stay out Evans’s sight and try to gain back some of the respect he never had in the first place. Boys?”</p><p>Remus and Peter chose option two at exactly the same time Sirius chose option one. Remus and Sirius scowled at each other. “Honestly, Padfoot, it’s time James grows up a little bit. And not just so he can have any chance with Lily, though I’m sure he’s almost completely destroyed it.”</p><p>“Moony, you can’t be serious! Because I’m Sirius.” The boy snickered to himself while the other three glared at him. “Give up tormenting Snivelly for a girl?”</p><p>James slammed his fist down on the table. A few students around them looked at the Marauders skeptically, most likely considering moving to other seats because one never knew what these four boys were up to. Sirius threw his hands up in surrender and flicked his wand again at James. “Happy?”</p><p>“No.” James glared at Sirius. “Moony, what do I do? I think I’ve really mucked the whole thing up this time.”</p><p>“Owl her every day over the summer until she agrees to go out with you.” Sirius said as he grabbed another drumstick off the platter. Remus tossed a roll at his head and turned to James.</p><p>“Honestly, James? I don’t know. You really did muck this up. Maybe just keep your head down for the next few days? Avoid Lily and Snape? Don’t put yourself in a position where you’ll do something stupid?”</p><p>“Wormtail, they’re not being any fun. Make them stop.” Sirius whined and dodged two rolls.</p><p>Peter shrugged and grabbed another roll from the basket. “Moony, pass the butter, would you?”</p><p>“Et tu, Brute?” Sirius threw a hand up to his forehead and collapsed sideways on the bench. Not one of the other boys said a thing. When he popped his head up above the table he was pelted with dinner rolls. Sirius huffed as he sat up. James threw one more roll which Sirius caught and took a voracious bite out of. “Ooo muys arr mot Maroffers enymorr.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, we don’t speak gibberish. Maybe try that again when your mouth isn’t full of bread, Padfoot.” Remus collected his books and stood up. “If any of you would like to study for Transfiguration, I’ll be in the library.”</p><p>Sirius made it quite clear that none of them would be studying for the exam tomorrow. Peter looked terrified at the idea of not studying. James seemed to be lost in his own world as he peered down the table at a certain redhead. Remus’s words might have actually stuck this time. As much as James wanted to walk down to the end of the table and ask Evans to go out with him something inside him made him stop. Maybe he should lay off. Give her the summer, let her have a break from him. He tried really hard not to stare at her. Alice caught him and gave a very subtle shake of her head before turning back to her conversation. That settled it. He would wait until the three girls left before he went back up to the Common room. He didn’t think he needed to study per se but at least a quick glance over his notes.</p><hr/><p>Lily, Alice, and Marlene were quizzing each other at a table in the very back of the library. The library was full of fifth, sixth, and seventh years trying to cram for the last exam of the term. Curfew was closing in. Madam Pince told the students that they needed to start heading back to their dormitories. Poor Emmeline Vance, a fellow fifth-year, had fallen asleep on top of her notes and was woken by Madam Pince rapped a long wooden stick on the desk to wake her up. The students began trudging back to their Common rooms where they would continue to study into the wee hours of the morning.</p><p>Remus made sure to give the three Gryffindor girls some space ahead of him. He knew that he should have done more to stop James and Sirius earlier in the day but he hadn’t. He was also painstakingly aware that anyone associated with James was surely not in Lily’s good books right now and he didn’t fancy having her turn her infamous temper on him at just this moment. When the older students returned to the Common room they kicked all the younger students that were still milling about off of every surface so that studying could continue. Remus was slightly surprised to see that James was sitting at a table in the corner of the room with notes spread out in front of him. Even more surprising was that James hadn’t even acknowledged Lily had entered the common room. She and her friends had taken the table as far away from James as possible with little acknowledgment of either Marauder.</p><p>“Thought you weren’t going to study?” Remus sat down across from James.</p><p>“You’re mistaking me with Sirius, at no point did I say I wasn’t going to study.” James didn’t even look up. He flipped over the piece of parchment he was reading. Transfiguration was his best subject and yet it was the exam he was feeling most nervous for.</p><p>“Where is Padfoot?” Remus glanced around the room suspiciously. James and Sirius weren’t often separated. Peter was also missing from the Common room. “James. Where are Sirius and Peter?”</p><p>James shrugged and continued reading his notes. Remus snatched the notes out of James’s hand. “I’m not kidding. You know that Sirius has no ability to reign himself in, and Peter only encourages him.”</p><p>“Re-lax Moony. Pete and I just went to get some snacks for our fellow classmates.” Remus and James turned to see Sirius and Peter setting up a mini feast on a conjured table in the middle of the Common room. “My fellow Gryffindors, I know that you are all studying furiously for your exam tomorrow. The Marauders proudly present you with a midnight snack from the kitchens. Enjoy.”</p><p>Sirius dragged a chair over to James and Remus and plopped down beside them. “Always think the worst of me, don’t you Moony. I was only trying to provide for my fellow students. Help them stay awake while they cram for tomorrow. Here, have a sandwich, you’re not you when you’re hungry.”</p><p>Remus looked at the sandwich skeptically. “I didn’t poison it, Moony. Honestly. The food has not been tampered with in any way. Peter was moaning about how hungry he was and I figured he probably wasn’t the only one.”</p><p>Peter had a sandwich in one hand and an apple in the other. He nodded in agreement as he chewed. Remus picked up the sandwich and examined it a little closer. It looked perfectly fine but it wasn’t a stretch to think that Sirius had tampered with it. He gingerly took a bite out of it and swallowed. Just a plain old roast beef sandwich. Maybe he needed to trust Sirius a little more often. James noticed that Lily, Marlene, and Alice had glanced at the table of food as a few other students began to take some snacks back to their study spots. He watched Lily shake her head but Alice stood up a grabbed a bowl of grapes off the table. The brunette pretended to choke when she popped one in her mouth and laughed as her friends’ eyes bulged. Marlene swatted her with a rolled-up piece of parchment and Lily put her grumpy-don’t-do-that face on. Lily always looked so cute when she scrunched her nose up like that.</p><p>“Earth to Prongs. Stop staring at her. She’s bound to notice and hex your eyes right out of your head.” Sirius was snapping his fingers in front James’s face. “Moony, he’s hopeless.”</p><hr/><p>Lily woke up in cold sweat. A pair of dark eyes had haunted her dreams that night. A pre-dawn glow was streaming through the window next to her four-poster bed. She felt like her dream was an omen for the summer to come. She had never enjoyed leaving Hogwarts at the end of the year. She loved the castle and being part of the magical world. But she had never dreaded going home before. Something felt different today. She couldn’t put her finger on what it was but there was a heaviness hanging in the air around her. Lily knew that things were going to change over the summer and it wasn’t going to be for the better.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Summer</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily had kept herself holed up in her room for the better part of her first two weeks home. Petunia had been an absolute nightmare from the moment she stepped over the threshold of the house. Not to mention her boyfriend Vernon came around for tea at least three times a week and he been made quite clear that Lily was not welcome to join them. Despite her parents’ attempts at having the sisters reconcile their difference for the thousandth time. It was nearly time for dinner when there was a tapping noise from her window. A large tawny owl was outside with a letter in his beak. She recognized Alice’s loopy handwriting on the parchment.</p><p>
  <em>Lily,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I was so glad to hear from you! You must come and stay for a week over the holidays. I hate to admit it but I miss sharing a room with you and Marlene. It’s far too quiet here with just Mum and Dad. Believe it or not I did not steal James’s owl. He hasn’t written to you once? I find that hard to believe. Maybe he’s trying to give you space? No, don’t roll your eyes at me Lily. Maybe he realizes that what he did was wrong and that it’s time to grow up. I would ask Marlene, she spends time at the Potters’ during the summer, for all it means she can torment Sirius without you scolding her for it.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Come stay the first week of August! We can go do all our school shopping and meet up with Marlene. Let me know!</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Love,</em><br/>
<em>Alice</em>
</p><p>Potter hadn’t written her. Actually, Potter hadn’t said two words to her since that afternoon by the lake. Lily looked out the window. She half expected him to just stroll up the walk to the house. Lily snorted at the idea that Potter might grow up. There was no way that arrogant bullying toerag could mature. Lily put out some pellets out for Alice’s owl. She left the window open in case her own owl, Aristotle, returned from Marlene’s. Lily closed the door behind her and went down stairs to help her mother set the table for dinner. She was not surprised but she also wasn’t thrilled to see Petunia and Vernon sitting at the kitchen table.</p><p>Mrs. Evans greeted her younger daughter from the stove with a smile, Petunia sneered, and Vernon frowned. “What have you been doing up in your room, pumpkin?”</p><p>Lily glanced at Petunia quickly and gave her a look. Petunia opened her mouth to say something but was cut off by her younger sister. “Oh nothing, just some schoolwork that was given for the summer.”</p><p>Lily couldn’t help but smirk when she saw the blood drain from her sister’s face. Petunia was trying very hard to nonverbally communicate to Lily that by no means was she to talk about the freak school she attended or anything she did while she was there. “Just an essay…for chemistry. Really fascinating stuff.”</p><p>Vernon mumbled something under his breath and Lily saw Petunia pat his hand and whisper something. “It’s almost like magic.” Lily couldn’t help herself. She felt bursting with laughter.<br/>
Almost as if it was rehearsed, Vernon and Petunia answered, “There’s no such thing as magic.”</p><p>Petunia glared at her sister as she watched Lily carry the plates into the dining room. Petunia excused herself from her boyfriend and followed Lily into the dining room. “How dare you?” Petunia’s voice was little more than a whisper but was filled to the brim with venom. “You know not to use the M-word in front of Vernon. Stop being an unnatural freak or return to your bedroom at once. I will not have you ruining the one good thing that is going on in my life!”</p><p>Dinner passed with no excitement. Lily was miserable as had become the usual in the past two weeks. She watched her father pick at his food. She listened to Vernon tell the same boring story of how he would be moving to London to start his new job at some company that did who knows what. Something to do with drills? Petunia hung on his every word. Mrs. Evans was her usual unflappable self. She looked attentive to her elder daughter and Vernon, she was aware of the little food her husband ate, and she understood why Lily was so glum. Petunia and Vernon went out onto the porch after supper had been cleared away. Lily was washing the dishes in the kitchen with her mother.</p><p>“Lily, how is everything going? You haven’t spent much time downstairs since you got home from school and you’ve been sending an awful lot of letters.” Mrs. Evans was drying the dishes as Lily washed them. “Is there a boy I should know about?”</p><p>Lily dropped the dish she was holding in her hand back into the sink with a splash. “Mum!”</p><p>“Well what do you expect me to think? I want to see my beautiful daughter, I don’t get to see her enough. What’s been going on in life? How is Hogwarts? Marlene? Alice?” The barrage of questions being fired at Lily made her pause.</p><p>“There isn’t a boy. I miss being home too. Hogwarts is the same old castle it was when I got there. Marlene and Alice are doing great. Alice invited me to stay the first week of August, can I?” Lily tried to keep up with all the questions her mother was asking her. How were classes going? What was her favourite thing that she had learned this past year? Did she still want to be a healer when she was done with school? Lily and Mrs. Evans moved from washing and drying dishes to the kitchen table with tea. Mr. Evans wandered in at some point and pulled some food out of the fridge and joined his wife and daughter at the table. The atmosphere was so different from the one in the dining room an hour previous. Lily could feel all her dread about the summer washing away as she listened to her parents laughing with her. She told them about skating on the lake in February when it had gotten so cold most of it had frozen solid. How Marlene had played a prank on the boys that resulted in them wearing skirts for a week. How she and Alice spent their last Hogsmeade trip drinking butterbeer and eating Honeyduke’s chocolates. Lily told them about her exams and that she was nervous she didn’t get enough OWLs to continue. In that small space, it felt like her world was finding a way to knit back together what had happened in the last few days of term. Lily was glad that she could share her world with her parents. They might not understand completely, but they at least accepted her.</p>
<hr/><p>Lily was stretched out on her bed, a copy of Gone with the Wind in her hand, when the owl pecked at the window. It was a sunny morning at the end of July. Lily opened the window for the owl and accepted the letter. She screamed with both nerves and excitement. Her OWL scores were here. Trembling hands broke the purple seal. She took a deep breath before reading down the list.</p><p>
  <em>HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY</em><br/>
<em>ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL EXAMINATIONS</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dear Ms. Evans,</em><br/>
<em>Below are you scores for your Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. Scoring is as follows:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Passing Scores</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>O – Outstanding</em><br/>
<em>E – Exceeds Expectations</em><br/>
<em>A – Acceptable</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <em>Failing Scores</em>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>P – Poor</em><br/>
<em>D – Dreadful</em><br/>
<em>T - Troll</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arithmancy – E</em><br/>
<em>Astronomy - E</em><br/>
<em>Charms - O</em><br/>
<em>Defence Against the Dark Arts - O</em><br/>
<em>Herbology - O</em><br/>
<em>History of Magic - A</em><br/>
<em>Muggle Studies - O</em><br/>
<em>Potions – O</em><br/>
<em>Study of Ancient Runes - E</em><br/>
<em>Transfiguration – E</em>
</p><p>Lily flew down the stairs to the kitchen where her parents were eating breakfast. She shared the wonderful news with them. She had successfully achieved ten OWLs. They understood that these had been major examinations for her and that they had an important role in her future career. The Evans’s planned to celebrate that evening by going out for dinner. What made the evening even sweeter for Lily was that Petunia was away visiting a friend in London and wasn’t going to be present.</p>
<hr/><p>“Boys! They’re here!” Mrs. Potter called up the kitchen stairs. She placed the envelopes on the kitchen table. It sounded like a stampede of elephants was coming down the stairs. James and Sirius were racing each other, They skidded to a halt in front of the table and slid into their seats. Mrs. Potter laughed and placed plates of breakfast in front of them. Sirius ripped into his letter, James was a little more careful about it.</p><p>
  <em>HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY</em><br/>
<em>ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL EXAMINATIONS</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dear Mr. Potter,</em><br/>
<em>Below are you scores for your Ordinary Wizarding Level examinations. Scoring is as follows:</em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span class="u">Passing Scores</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>O – Outstanding</em><br/>
<em>E – Exceeds Expectations</em><br/>
<em>A – Acceptable</em>
</p><p>
  <span class="u">
    <em>Failing Scores</em>
  </span>
</p><p>
  <em>P – Poor</em><br/>
<em>D – Dreadful</em><br/>
<em>T - Troll</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Arithmancy – O</em><br/>
<em>Astronomy – E</em><br/>
<em>Care of Magical Creatures - E</em><br/>
<em>Charms - O</em><br/>
<em>Defence Against the Dark Arts - O</em><br/>
<em>Herbology - O</em><br/>
<em>History of Magic - A</em><br/>
<em>Potions – E</em><br/>
<em>Transfiguration – O</em>
</p><p>“I’m so proud of you James! Your father will be too.” Mrs. Potter kissed her son’s cheek. “We’re very proud of you too, Sirius!”</p><p>Sirius beamed. “Nine. You?”</p><p>“Nine. And enough to continue for Auror. You?”</p><p>“I’ll be with you mate, every step of the way.”</p><p>Mrs. Potter watched her son and his best friend at the kitchen table. She had always hoped to have more children but James was her only. Every day she was thankful that James had found a brother.</p>
<hr/><p>The train ride into London had been very peaceful. No screeching, no yelling, no Petunia. Mr. and Mrs. Evans had worried at first that Lily was too young to travel to London on her own, she had only just turned sixteen in January. Lily assured them that Alice and her parents would be meeting her at King’s Cross station and she would only spend the short, four-hour train ride alone. Still skeptical, Mrs. Evans asked Lily to call from a payphone when she arrived in London to let them know that she was safe. Lily obliged and kissed her parents goodbye. They waved to her from the platform until all Lily could see were little specks. She settled into her seat and pulled out a very torn, very battered copy of Peter Pan. It was the perfect book for the train ride. She buried her nose into the world of Never Never Land and dreamed of flying like Peter.</p><p>When the wheels screeched to a halt in London, excitement coursed through Lily. She had never spent time in the wizarding world over the summer. She knew that Alice’s family was pureblood, or as pure as possible without inbreeding like some wizarding families. Surely they would get to spend time in Diagon Alley and the Leaky Cauldron. Lily could talk about magic without hearing a shriek from the room next to her. The next week was going to be her real holiday.</p><p>Alice caught sight of Lily first and barreled into her, knocking the wind from her lungs. Alice introduced Lily to her parents, Robert and Louisa King. All three were dressed in appropriate muggle clothing. Lily had completely forgotten that she was supposed to call her parents until they were outside the train station and she saw a phone booth. She excused herself quickly and rang her parents to let them know she was safely in London with Alice’s family. Off the four went, Lily exchanged pleasantries with Mr. and Mrs. King as they made their way to the Leaky Cauldron. Alice’s parents took Lily’s bag and told the girls to stick to Diagon Alley and to be home in time for supper before flooing to the King residence. Lily had never in her whole life felt as free as she did in that moment.</p><p>“So? What do you want to do first on your parent free afternoon in the magical world?” Alice asked Lily who looked as if she had never been let out of an adult’s sight in her life.</p><p>“Ice cream!” The two girls were of one mind. They made their way into Diagon Alley and headed straight to Fortescue’s. Lily got her favourite, strawberry with real chunks of strawberry in it. Alice went for death by chocolate. They were sitting under an awning outside the ice cream shop people watching. Lily decided that it was an even more enjoyable activity in the wizarding world. There were so many different people with such interesting purchases. Alice nudged an elbow into Lily’s side and motioned to two people walking out of Quality Quidditch Supplies. Green eyes caught hazel eyes as a gap opened in the crowd. Lily prepared herself to yell at him but he only nodded to her and moved away into the crowd with Sirius.</p><p>“Well that was odd.” Alice looked rightfully puzzled. “James Potter not take an opportunity to ask you out? Was that James? Maybe I was mistaken.”<br/>
Lily still felt anger boil through her but it was mixed with confusion. James hadn’t written to her all summer. He sees her in person, which never happens over the holidays, and just walks away.</p><p>“Alice, do I look different?” Alice just shook her head. Both girls sat there completely dumbfounded.</p>
<hr/><p>“You didn’t even say hello?” Remus was in disbelief. There was no way that his best mates had happened upon Lily Evans and Alice King and not taken the opportunity to do something stupid. Sirius was pouting. James just shrugged.</p><p>“You told me to give her space. I’m only doing what you told me to do.”</p><p>“Yeah, I know what I said, Prongs. I’m just in disbelief that you listened to me.” Remus was sitting cross-legged in a comfy armchair in the sitting room of the Potters’ home. It was the first week of August and the Marauders were supposed to be planning the first prank of sixth year. Peter was, however, not present on account of a summer cold and his mother wouldn’t let him out of the house.</p><p>“I’m not stupid, Moony. I know how to listen. I do have ears.” James was now pouting too. It was like nobody believed he could do the right thing. His mother had been just as surprised as Sirius when James didn’t immediately start sending letters to Lily the moment he returned home for the summer. On occasion, he caught Sirius trying to get James’s owl to deliver a letter to Lily addressed from James. Stella was too smart for Sirius and just pecked at him, knowing he was up to no good.</p><p>“Are you going to try to get her to go out with you when we get back to Hogwarts?” Sirius was lounging on a sofa and had his head hanging off the side upside down.</p><p>The thought had crossed James’s mind but he had thought even more about just being a decent bloke and letting Lily see for herself he had changed. Even now, instead of planning something that was potentially dangerous James and Remus had convinced Sirius that their first prank should be something funny that will welcome everyone back to school. Remind them that there is still some good in the world after all the goings on in the wizarding world of late. It had taken a lot of convincing and some promises for full moons to come, but James and Remus had finally managed to convince their shaggy haired friend.</p>
<hr/><p>The owl nipped at Lily’s finger while she dug around in her pocket for the knut. She knocked over her glass of orange juice into Marlene’s lap when she unfolded the Daily Prophet. An image of the dark mark was on the cover page with the snake slithering out of the skulls mouth. Marlene completely ignored the fact that her pajama shorts were covered in orange juice. The three girls sat at the Kings’ kitchen table and just stared at the image. The article gave next to no information but gave the girls plenty of shivers. Mrs. King walked into the kitchen as they tried to mop up the spilled orange juice. Alice’s mother vanished the spilled juice with her wand and gave it a flick at Marlene.</p><p>“Mum!” Alice thrust the paper into her mother’s hands. Louisa King’s eyebrows knit together in concern. She glanced over the cover of the paper quickly and handed it back to her daughter.</p><p>“I’d like the three of you to stay here today. Play exploding snap or sit out in the garden, but stay on the property.” The girls didn’t have to be told twice. While they had been planning to go back to Diagon Alley for the day, no one objected to staying near home. They traipsed back upstairs to Alice’s room after clearing away the dishes from breakfast.<br/>
Lily flopped down onto the bed. “Things are getting worse.”</p><p>“They wouldn’t close Hogwarts, would they?” Alice plopped down next to Lily as Marlene rummaged through her bag for clean shorts.</p><p>“No way. Hogwarts is the safest place to be right now. You-Know-Who wouldn’t dare go near it with Dumbledore there.” The two girls on the bed couldn’t help but hear the small trepidation in the blonde’s voice. “If Hogwarts closes, we’re really in trouble.”</p><p>“They won’t close the school. Marlene is right, You-Know-Who is afraid of Dumbledore and there are all the enchantments that the castle has. It would take a real genius to sneak in without being detected.”</p><p>“So, what you’re saying is the Marauders must be Merlin?” Marlene dodged the pillow Lily threw at her. “Oh come on Lil, you know they’re been sneaking in and out of the castle for the past five years and they’ve gotten bloody good at it.”</p><p>Lily gave Marlene a look. The you-know-what-I-meant so shut up now look. Alice shrugged, “She has a point. But I see where you’re coming from Lily. You-Know-Who won’t chance Hogwarts with Dumbledore there.”</p><p>“But don’t worry Lily, I’m sure if he did show up James would protect you.” Marlene winked at the red-head and caught the pillow that was thrown this time. “He fancies you quite a lot. I’m sure he’d even die for you.”</p><p>“Fat chance that.” Lily rolled over onto her back. She didn’t know why she felt a sting in her belly. It’s not like she even liked having James write. It drove her mad the number of times his owl used to appear at her bedroom window. But she couldn’t help but feel weird that summer was ending soon and the last time James had spoken to her was after Sev had called her a mudblood.</p><p>“Not brooding, are we Lily?” Marlene popped up onto the foot of the bed.</p><p>“No.” Lily said quickly. Her friends noticed there was a tinge of defensiveness in her voice.</p><p>“Cause it sort of looks like to us that you miss him writing.” Marlene had a dopey grin on her face.</p><p>“Why on earth would I miss Potter?” Lily glared up at Marlene. “He’s a bully and arrogant and –”</p><p>“Alice, did I mention Potter?”</p><p>“I don’t think so,” Alice caught on quickly. “Lily, what makes you think Marlene was talking about James?”</p><p>Lily flushed. She had assumed that Marlene meant James but she could just have easily meant Sev. “Cause you were talking about Ja- Potter saving me if You-Know-Who tried to attack Hogwarts!”</p><p>“Yeah, or that conversation ended five minutes ago and you’ve been staring at the ceiling since.” Marlene tried to figure out what was going on in Lily’s mind. “Just admit you have feelings for him already.”</p><p>“I don’t have feelings for him! Why does everyone think that I like Potter!” Lily didn’t sound angry as much as she sounded exasperated.</p><p>“Oh, where to start?” Marlene looked at Alice for help. “You two have wonderful chemistry.”</p><p>“He’s the only one who doesn’t run away when you get mad and yell.”</p><p>“Actually, he thinks it’s kind of cute. Another point for chemistry.”</p><p>“You two balance each other. I can’t explain it but you just do.”</p><p>“You’d make super cute babies! They’d have his hair and your eyes.”</p><p>Lily slammed her hands over her ears at the mention of Lily-James babies. Ew! No. Absolutely not. No babies. They were sixeen for Merlin’s beard. “You’re gonna make me puke!”</p><p>Marlene tumbled backwards off the bed from Lily’s forceful shove. “You’ve done it now Evans!”</p><p>Marlene grabbed the pillow up off the floor and slammed it into the side of Lily’s head. Lily rolled sideways off the bed and grabbed another pillow. The blonde and redhead were laughing as they beat each other with pillows. Marlene’s slipped out of her hands and buffeted Alice in the face. Lily and Marlene stopped and looked at Alice. The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.</p><p>“Oh, it’s so on.” Alice threw the pillow back at Marlene and grabbed a third pillow. She entered into the pillow fight as if it were a duel to the death.</p><p>Despite the terror that was creeping into the world outside. The three teens let laughter envelope them, keeping the darkness at bay for just a little longer. None of them truly knew what the future held for the world outside. It felt nice to hold onto childhood just a little bit longer because the next two years would go by in a whirlwind and a war would be in full swing when they would cross the line from child to adult.</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Back to Hogwarts</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily joined Marlene and Alice in their compartment on the train. She wasn’t surprised to see Frank Longbottom, a seventh-year Gryffindor, there too. Alice had filled her two friends in at the beginning of August. Frank had started to write Alice over the summer holidays, he had always been pleasant to her but she never thought he had any feelings for her. Frank was a sweetheart and Lily approved whole-heartedly of him. What did surprise her a little was the presence of Frank’s friends, Aiden Boone and Colin Smith. She joined the game of exploding snap and laughed when one of Marlene’s eyebrows got a little singed.</p><p>The six teens were exchanging stories about their summers when someone knocked on the compartment door and slid it open. Remus popped his head in, “Lily, it’s our turn for patrols.” Lily got up and stretched her legs as Remus greeted the other five Gryffindors. Marlene smirked as Colin watched Lily exit the compartment.</p><p>“Fancy her much, Smith?” Marlene grinned as she saw the blush creep up the boy’s face. He shrugged and turned back to Aiden who was running some sort of analysis on the Chudley Canons.</p><p>Remus and Lily walked down the train listening for any signs of trouble and occasionally looking into a compartment. “Have a good summer?”</p><p>Lily smiled at Remus. “It was really nice. I visited with Alice and Marlene at the beginning of August. Did you have a good holiday?”</p><p>Remus told her about spending time with his sick mother. He got some reading in that he hadn’t been able to do while away at school. Neither prefect commented on the fact the Remus had undoubtedly spent much of is summer with the other three sixth year boys. Remus had considered trying to apologize for what had happened at the end of last term but Lily had treated him no different than she normally did when they had met in the Prefects’ Carriage that morning so he figured it was in the past. They got to the end of the train and turned around. A crowd of fifth-year Slytherins had blocked their passage.</p><p>“Going somewhere mudblood?” A lanky brown-haired boy sneered at Lily.</p><p>Lily didn’t bat an eyelash. “Five points from Slytherin. Now move. Unless you lot want a detention before we’ve even gotten to school.” Lily marched right through the boys. Remus followed her, wary of the group of boys. Both students let out their breath as they entered the next car. Remus stopped outside of a compartment. Lily peered in and rolled her eyes. Sirius Black was making faces at her. She said goodbye to Remus and caught James Potter’s eye. He nodded and smiled and continued talking with Peter about something.</p><p>Lily scratched her head as she made her way back towards the front of the train. Still on the lookout for trouble, she took it as an opportunity to say hello to more friends of hers. A handful of sixth-year Ravenclaws, including fellow prefect Emmeline Vance, waved to her as she walked by. Lily was in a bit of a stupor by the time she had made it back to Marlene and Alice. From the Slytherin boys to Potter to the seventh-year boys sharing her compartment, school hadn’t even started yet and it seemed like the year had already been turned on its head. Frank, Aiden, and Colin had gone off to find the trolley when Lily entered the compartment.</p><p>Alice was dozing in the window seat and Marlene was reading Witch Weekly across from her. In a very nonchalant manner, Marlene asked Lily what she thought of Frank and his friends. Lily thought Frank was great, definitely a good match for Alice.</p><p>“Colin seems like a pretty nice bloke too.” Marlene didn’t look up when she said this.</p><p>“Trying to play matchmaker, Marlene?” Lily smiled, she couldn’t deny that Colin was easy on the eyes. He was a good student too. “I’ll play your game, McKinnon.”</p><p>Marlene was grinning ear to ear when she looked up. Despite the ominous shadow of NEWT classes, sixth year was going to be a lot of fun. “If he asked you to go out with him?”</p><p>“Why don’t we just start with hanging out as friends first? See where it goes from there?” Marlene pretended to scowl but couldn’t hold it. She smiled at Lily and the two girls started to laugh.</p><p>Alice jolted up in her seat making Lily and Marlene laugh even harder. The three girls were rolling around in fits of giggles when their compartment companions returned with arms full of sweets. Once they’d regained their composure they dug into the pile of sweets. Lily cautiously accepted a handful of Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans from Colin. She wrinkled her nose when she realized the bean she had chosen was liver flavoured. Colin laughed at her and pulled a white one from her hand.</p><p>With a triumphant grin, Colin exclaimed, “Coconut!” Causing another round of laughter in the compartment.</p>
<hr/><p>Sirius sat at the table and glared at Colin Smith. There wasn’t going to be anybody to take away his best mate’s girl. James hadn’t said one word yet on the matter. He had grilled Moony after his patrol of the train but had tried to play it as cool as possible when he saw Lily. Remus was no help at all.</p><p>“Prongs, are you seeing this mate?” Sirius was overly indignant. The boys thought he might be more annoyed at Colin than James was and that was saying something. James let out a sigh and shook his head at Sirius. If Lily wanted to date Colin Smith, Lily could date Colin Smith. Who was he to say anything otherwise?</p><p>“Padfoot, the prank. Focus on that.” James was trying really hard not to look past him at Lily. “It bothers me, I’m not saying it doesn’t but I think Lily deserves to be happy…even if I’m not the one giving her that happiness.”</p><p>Remus observed James. While none of them had turned seventeen yet James was different from last year. He’d noticed that over the summer too. It had come in little snippets. Not sending owls to Lily. Keeping Sirius under control. Convincing Sirius that they should make their pranks funny not harmful. Remus nudged Peter as McGonagall led the first-years into the Great Hall. Sirius was a little ball of energy and Remus was certain that the Transfiguration professor hadn’t missed his excitement. James nodded encouragingly to the first-year students who made eye contact with him. The Marauders waited impatiently as the Sorting Hat sang its song. McGonagall called the first student, Adams, Eliza.</p><p>“Gryffindor!” Many things happened at once. The students at the Gryffindor table cheered for their new housemate. McGonagall removed the hat from the little girl’s head. Eliza Adams jumped down from the stool and moved to the cheering table. And the lion from the Gryffindor became alive. The lion’s head emerged from the banner and roared so loud the hall went silent. Every student and teacher looked up at the banner. After a moment, the banner went silent and returned to its normal state.</p><p>McGonagall called the next student. The boy was sorted into Slytherin and the snake’s head emerged from the green and silver banner. The hiss was heard over the cheering. It was a clever bit of magic that the boys had spent the better part of August perfecting so they could get it right for the Sorting. McGonagall pretended not to notice but the Marauders didn’t miss the smile and twinkle in Dumbledore’s eye.</p><p>“I can’t wait to find out what sound a badger makes,” Peter squealed as two students were sorted into Ravenclaw and another student was sorted to Gryffindor.</p><p>“Keep your panties on there, Wormy,” Sirius laughed as the next student moved up to the stool.</p><p>“Hufflepuff!” The most unnatural sound came from the badger head popping out of its banner. The entire hall began to laugh.</p><p>“It sounds like you Pete, like you’re trying to get it on with a broad!” Sirius was wheezing from laughing so hard. Soon the entire hall was calling for more Hufflepuffs to be sorted so they could enjoy the hilarious sounds coming from the black and yellow banner. The boys took joy in watching Professor McGonagall try to maintain a straight face every time that particular banner was alive.</p><p>Finally, Dumbledore stood after the last student was sorted. Professor McGonagall took away the stool and Sorting Hat. “Welcome back! I hope you all enjoyed a summer of emptying your heads. I must say that this has been the most amusing Sorting I’ve ever experienced.” His blue eyes caught the Marauders for but a moment. “I think we should all remember that laughter and love are the most powerful magic in this world. Now, I won’t keep you from your dinner a moment longer!”</p><p>The trays, platters, and tureens on the long tables filled with food. The first-year students were in pure awe. Sirius, James, and Peter didn’t wait a moment to pile their plates high with food. Remus, ever the mannered-Marauder, piled an appropriate amount of food on his plate and used both fork and knife. The hall was filled with sound. Students laughing. Asking for housemates to pass this or that from out of reach. For a little while, the outside world vanished. The killings and disappearances. The dark mark. None of that mattered. Everyone was reunited with their friends, a year of learning and hard work was ahead of them, Hogwarts was a bright light in what was becoming a sea of darkness.</p>
<hr/><p>“Alright, Evans?” Colin sat down next to Frank.</p><p>“Mhmm. Just trying to decide what classes to continue with. I’ve been thinking about it all summer.” Lily blushed and brushed a stray hair out of her face.</p><p>“Just take everything Lily, I’m sure you’ll quickly master being in two places at once.” Marlene piled chips onto her plate. She was not much of a morning person and Alice had already pushed a mug of coffee towards her.</p><p>Lily scowled at her. “I just don’t know what I should continue with. I would love to continue everything but I know that’s not realistic and I want to be able to focus on my NEWT classes.”</p><p>“Do you have an idea of what you want to do after Hogwarts? I know you met with McGonagall last year to discuss that but even if you’re thinking of multiple careers it can help to narrow down classes.” Frank and Colin looked at the three girls.</p><p>“Honestly, I think I might go for Auror.” Everyone at the table looked at Alice. Auror wasn’t exactly the first career they would pick by looking at her. She was the smallest of the three girls and slight in stature. But she was brilliant and could keep a cool head.</p><p>Marlene frowned, “I don’t really know. I’ve never given much thought to it. My father works at the Ministry and I guess I always figured that’s where I’d end up.”</p><p>When Lily was a kid she had always wanted to be a doctor when she grew up. Even though that wasn’t really the norm, women weren’t considered capable. Nursing certainly but not becoming a physician. “I think I’d be happy as a Healer. I spoke with McGonagall about last term when she was giving career advice. I wasn’t sure then but I think I’m more sure now.”</p><p>“You’d make a great Healer, Lily!” Colin smiled at her. “You’re empathetic but you also know when to be assertive and you’re a brilliant witch!”</p><p>At that moment, none other than Sirius Black walked by. “You’re a brilliant witch. Fancy her much, Smith? Thanks, McKinnon.” Sirius swiped Marlene’s coffee off the table before Remus dragged him away. Lily couldn’t help but notice the flush creeping up Colin’s neck and face.</p><p>Sirius slumped down into the seat next to Peter and Remus sat next to James. “You really need to sort out Smith, mate. He’s moving in on what’s rightfully yours.”</p><p>“Lily is not a piece of meat that can be owned, Padfoot.” Remus looked like he was already over the term. In part, it was that the full moon was coming up next week and he was already beginning to feel tired.</p><p>“I know Prongs has fancied her for a long time, but that doesn’t make her ‘rightfully’ his.” Peter shoved a piece of toast into his face.</p><p>“Wormy, think about it. Has Evans ever had a boyfriend? No. She hasn’t. Because every boy in this school knows that she belongs to James.” Sirius looked at James to verify.</p><p>James glanced down the table to where Lily was sitting with her friends. She was laughing and smiling. That smile tugged at his heart and for a moment he wanted to go down there and join her. He wanted her to laugh at the things he said and smile at him the way she was smiling at Smith. But there was the part of him that had appeared over the summer that made him stay where he was. “Padfoot, I think I need to let her go.”</p><p>The other three boys whipped their heads to look at James. Remus was in awe, Peter was confused, and Sirius looked dumbstruck. “But mate, she’s your girl. You told me that first day she would be yours and we didn’t even know what that meant.”</p><p>“I…I think I need to give her space. I don’t think she’ll ever accept me if she doesn’t see that I’m not an arrogant, bullying toerag anymore. We’ll still play pranks, Padfoot, but I think it’s time to grow up. This summer – well you saw the things in the Prophet this summer, the world is changing out there and soon we’ll be in it.” James ruffled his hair, making it messier than his bedhead already was.</p><p>Remus kicked Sirius hard under the table. “That’s really mature, James.”</p><p>“Who cares about being mature? We’ll never be as young as we are now. Ever. Again.” Sirius pouted and poured more coffee into the mug he had stolen from Marlene.</p><p>Professor McGonagall was making her way towards them. “Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew. I hope our banners won’t sporadically start making noises this morning. I trust you have all given thought to the classes you’ll be taking.”</p><p>Peter went as white as the milk in his glass. McGonagall pursed her lips and turned to Remus first, “Mr. Lupin, have you given any more thought to your career path over the summer?”</p><p>Remus shook his head, “Professor, if it’s all the same, I’ll continue with everything except Astronomy.”</p><p>“That’s nine NEWT classes, Mr. Lupin.” Professor McGonagall gave him a knowing look, “You believe you will be able to keep up with all that work?”</p><p>The boy winced at the sound of how much work that would be. It was a difficult load for someone without his affliction. “I’ll drop Care of Magical Creatures then too.”<br/>
McGonagall tapped a card and handed it to Remus. “Mr. Potter, still plan to go into Auror training? Right, so you’ll need Herbology, Charms, Defence Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration. I see you also received OWLs in Astronomy and Arithmancy.”</p><p>“I’d like to continue with all of those classes Professor.” James accepted his timetable from her.</p><p>The woman didn’t even ask Sirius what he would be taking. She handed him an identical timetable. “There will be no mischief this year. NEWT level is challenging and I will not have you two wreaking havoc, is that understood?”</p><p>James and Sirius made their eyes as big as they could and nodded. It might last until the end of the week. At least no one could say that Minerva McGonagall didn’t try to keep them in line. “Mr. Pettigrew, while you received OWLs in eight of classes last term you only scored high enough in six of them to continue.”</p><p>Peter flushed, he knew that he wasn’t as strong academically as his friends. He accepted the card from her. Remus smiled at him encouragingly. He would still be in most of his friends’ classes.</p><p>The upside was that he would have less work and a considerable amount less than Remus. Professor McGonagall continued down the table handing out timetables. She asked the third-year students what classes they were adding and some older students asked to drop some classes. She stopped in front of the mixed cluster of sixth- and seventh-year Gryffindors further down the table. A handful of the seventh-year students told her they were dropping this class or that. While the sixth-years were picking classes, McGonagall had to silence the seventh-year students as they tried to persuade people to take this and not take that.</p><p>“Ms. McKinnon, still thinking of the Ministry?” Marlene shrugged her shoulders. She decided she’d continue with everything except for Care of Magical Creatures. She still had a solid timetable with her classes.</p><p>Alice surprised McGonagall when she told she now had plans to become an Auror. She dropped Astronomy even though she had managed an E on her OWL. McGonagall gave her the five core classes that were required for Auror training and Alice chose to continue in Ancient Runes and Arithmancy. Lily confirmed her plans to become a Healer, something everyone seemed to support.</p><p>“You and Mr. Lupin are going to need to work hard these next two years, Ms. Evans,” McGonagall handed Lily the timetable, “Make sure you support each other.”</p><p>The first week of term was gone in the blink of an eye. The sixth-year students were sure the new pace would kill them. By the end of that week nearly every single one of them had fallen asleep in some class or other. Classes had started on a Thursday this term, they had foolishly thought that the first weekend was going to be spent catching up with each other. In reality, every sixth- and seventh- year student was found in the library that weekend. Foretelling their year to come.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. New Friends, Old Friends?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily was the first student to the library on the third Saturday of term. Her friends had decided to sleep in. However, they were taking one less class than she and she needed the extra hour of schoolwork more than she needed the extra hour of sleep. At least for now, that might change in two months. Lily had her Transfiguration notes spread out on the table and a stack of books along with them. She had smuggled in a crumpet and a few pieces of bacon. It had been barely half of an hour when someone sat down at the table opposite her.</p><p>“Can we talk?” Lily glared across the table at the person who was interrupting her. Severus had a book in his hand and was staring at her.</p><p>“No.” She proceeded to ignore her former best-friend’s attempts at conversation. He yammered on for what seemed like forever when a third person joined the table.</p><p>“Lily, mind if I join you?” Remus ignored Snape altogether but smiled at Lily.</p><p>“Of course, Remus. Snape was just leaving.” She gave him a cold look indicating that their friendship was over and not to bother speaking to her again.</p><p>“Fine, spend your morning with a monster like him and his childish friends.” Snape moved out of sight, presumably to the table where he had left the rest of his belongings.</p><p>Remus watched him go. A pit was forming in his stomach. Snape might not know for sure but he certainly had suspicions. He waited for Lily to say something, to tell him to get away from her. She just looked at him with a smile, waiting for him to sit down. He sank into the seat that Snape had just vacated and pulled out his History of Magic book from his knapsack.</p><p>“I think you’re the only person I know who continued with History of Magic.” Lily laughed as he started working on another essay about the uprising of some oppressed magical species.</p><p>“That’s because I’m one of the privileged few who actually scored high enough on their OWL to be allowed to continue.” Remus smiled a cheeky grin.</p><p>Another hour passed and students began to filter into the library. Madam Pince had begun leaving the circulation desk periodically to monitor the students who were in the library. She kicked out those who had brought food in with them. Anyone who was over the volume of an inaudible whisper soon found themselves packing up their belongings as well. When she got to the table where Lily and Remus sat she stood for a moment, glaring at Remus.</p><p>“I am the only one here, Madam Pince.” Remus tried to flash a charming smile, “I would never let James or Sirius cause mayhem in here. I like books too much to let them do that.”<br/>Madam Pince stood for a moment longer before deciding that the statement was suitable enough for her not to make him leave. Marlene and Alice showed up at some point after. Marlene had snuck food from lunch in for Lily which was gone almost immediately. Lily stated she didn’t want Pince to come and kick them out. When Frank and Colin showed up a second table was pulled over so that they could all sit together. It was nearing dinner when something unusual occurred.</p><p>“Oh Moony!” The six Gryffindors looked up to see two black-haired boys walking their way.</p><p>Marlene couldn’t help but laugh. In all the years at Hogwarts she had never seen Sirius Black enter the library. Before then she had been positive he didn’t even know where it was. She didn’t miss that James didn’t immediately take the open seat next to Lily. He ended up sitting down next to Frank while Sirius snagged the chair next to Remus and flipped it around. James greeted everyone and pulled out his Transfiguration essay. Alice and Marlene both noticed Colin move away from Sirius, taking the seat next Lily.</p><p>“Aww, I don’t bite, Colin. That’s Remus’s job.” Sirius winked at his friend whose scowl could have rivaled Madam Pince’s.</p><p>“I’m not worried about any of you biting me, Black. I just wanted to sit next to Lily.” Colin smiled at Lily. She missed his quick glance at James but no one else did. Alice gave a warning look at Marlene. They should probably leave for dinner to avoid some sort of explosion in the library, magical or verbal. Remus prepared himself to kick Sirius when Madam Pince popped around the corner.</p><p>“Moving tables! Crumbs!” She shrieked when she saw that not only had they pulled tables together and that someone had brought food in but three of four Marauders were there together. “Out! OUT! All of you! I will not have you plotting mischief and eating in here. All of you out.”</p><p>She stood over the them as they packed up their knapsacks. Remus, James, and Sirius left in their own little cluster. Marlene, Lily, and Colin became another trio. Alice and Frank brought up the rear. Sirius turned and winked at Colin just before the Marauders three turned the corner. Colin smirked and winked back. When the girls and Colin turned the corner, the boys had vanished. Instead of taking their things back to Gryffindor Tower they headed down to the Great Hall for dinner. It had become normal over the past three weeks for Colin and Frank to join the three sixth-year girls. Frank had asked Alice to the first Hogsmeade weekend the last Saturday of September. On occasion Aiden would join them, some of the other seventh-year girls trickled over too (usually when Aiden was present). Sirius was the only one who seemed to object to these new friendships. He would sit and pout at the table. Both Remus and James would kick him when he’d been staring at them for too long.</p><p>“She’s stopped talking to him.” Remus wasn’t sure if Lily would want James to know this but in his heart, he knew the two of them were meant to be together.</p><p>James looked at Remus and then at Lily. She was once again laughing at something Colin had said. Across the room, Snape wasn’t glaring at the Marauders as he normally did. James noticed that Snape was glaring at Colin now. Not that he didn’t share the sentiments a little bit, but it was kind of annoying to watch Snape pine after Lily. “How do you figure that?”</p><p>Remus told them about the morning in the library. He left out his suspicions that Snape knew about him though. For one thing, Sirius was bound to stand up and proclaim that Remus was not a monster and for another there were too many people that could overhear. James was a little pleased to hear that Lily had ignored him though. He was hoping that the little grease ball would continue to annoy Lily and she’d turn him into a toad or something.</p><hr/><p>“Lily, could I sit here?” Colin gestured to the open armchair. It was well past bed but Lily was insistent on finishing the reading for Charms in the morning. “Thanks. Look I was wondering if you wanted to go with me to Hogsmeade on Saturday?”</p><p>The Common room was empty except for a handful of very tired and stressed NEWT-level students. Lily couldn’t keep the blush or the smile from her face. She told Colin that she would go with him.</p><p>“Right. Brilliant!” Colin stood up. Before either teenager knew what was happening, Colin bent over and kissed Lily’s cheek. When he realized what he’d done, horror flared on his face. “I’ll see you Saturday.”</p><p>Lily watched the boy bolt for the boys’ dormitory. She felt a swell inside herself. Colin Smith had just kissed her. Colin Smith had just asked her to go to Hogsmeade with him. Colin Smith had kissed her! Lily couldn’t keep her focus on the reading after that. Her mind kept drifting to the end of the week and the Hogsmeade trip. She picked up her Charms book and made her way up to the sixth-girls dormitory. Marlene was completely out and snoring. Alice stirred when Lily came into the room but didn’t wake. The other two girls who shared the room, Mary McDonald and Beatrice Harper, didn’t wake either. Lily changed into her nightgown and crawled into her bed. Normally Marlene’s snoring kept Lily awake but tonight sleep settled over her. She dreamed of the sandy-haired, grey-eyed boy.</p><hr/><p>“Spill the beans, Evans!” Marlene blocked the door after Mary and Beatrice had left. “You look like you’re flying on cloud nine right now.”</p><p>“Colin kissed me.” Lily slapped a hand over her mouth. She hadn’t meant to just blurt it out. “Well he kissed my cheek, but it was after he asked me to Hogsmeade Saturday.”</p><p>“Did you say yes?” Alice had leapt off her bed to hug Lily.</p><p>“Of course, she said yes! Look at her!” Marlene was hugging Lily now too. “Wait a minute! Who am I going to go to Hogsmeade with? You’re both deserting me!”</p><p>On their way down to breakfast, the girls tried to brainstorm who Marlene could ask to Hogsmeade for the weekend. They went through all the obvious choices starting with Aiden. Marlene immediately turned that idea down stating she’d have every single seventh-year girl in the castle attacking her if she tried to snag that bachelor. Alice told Marlene she was just going to have to find someone or go alone. Lily offered they go as a group for a little while so that Marlene wouldn’t be alone. The blonde refused.</p><p>“I will not spoil your first date with Colin. Worst comes to worst I’ll go hang out with James and Remus.” Marlene poured herself some orange juice from the pitcher. “Oh Lily, come on. They’re not so bad. I think James is starting to grow up a little. I mean you saw their prank for the Sorting. It was quite clever. And no one got hurt or was in danger of being hurt.”</p><p>Lily admitted that the prank had been amusing but she wouldn’t go as far as saying he was growing up. “That’s a bit of a stretch, Marlene.”</p><p>“I don’t think you’re being fair, Lily. You have to admit he’s stopped pestering you all the time.” Alice never had a problem with James. He was rather funny and the pranks he and the others played were quite brilliant. She’d be lying if she said the week leading up to the April Fool’s Day wasn’t one of her favourite weeks of the year and that was thanks to the Marauders. “He’s barely spoken to you this year and when he has it hasn’t sparked an argument. It’s already been three weeks and not one thing has been done to the Slytherins.”</p><p>Alice and Marlene rolled their eyes as Lily stubbornly ignored any good thing said about James. Colin and Frank joined the trio. Marlene was like a firecracker, accusing the two boys of stealing her best friends away from her that weekend. Alice stuck her tongue out at Marlene and smiled at Frank. Lily blushed when she and Colin made eye contact. They were a little shier than usual that morning at the table. The boys left them at the entrance as they made their way down to the dungeons with the other seventh-years taking Potions. Marlene was taking advantage of her spare period to catch up on the Charms reading she had neglected while Lily and Alice made their way to Arithmancy. They had only just settled into their seats when none other than Sirius Black slid into the seat in front of them.</p><p>Tossing his hair to the side as he whipped around, “King, Evans. Alright?”</p><p>Lily didn’t hate Black but she was often suspicious of his motives. Alice would never admit it to Lily for fear of being yelled at but she liked Sirius, as a friend. He was funny and she thoroughly enjoyed his dramatics. James and Remus sat down in front of them as well. Remus greeted them happily. He was full of energy this week with the new moon.</p><p>“Alright, Evans?” James ruffled up his hair and smiled at Lily. Lily didn’t glare at him per se but she didn’t mirror the warmth that the boys had exuded. She really hated the way he mussed his hair like that. It stuck out every which way and looked like he had just tumbled out of bed. The boys turned around as their professor entered the classroom and the lesson began.</p><p>The Marauders trailed after the two girls as the students made their way to Transfiguration. Sirius was eavesdropping in on their conversation. He caught snippets of this and that. Alice was excited for her first real date with Frank Longbottom on Saturday. Would the workload let up at all? Lily was questioning whether taking eight classes was worth it or not. Alice was more concerned about whether or not Colin was going to give her a real kiss in Hogsmeade. Sirius stopped dead in his tracks. “Prongs! That rat Smith kissed Evans!”</p><p>“Hey!” Peter had caught up with them. “I take offense to you using rat in a derogatory way!”</p><p>“Wormtail, you don’t even know what ‘derogatory’ means,” Sirius waved him off and looked at James expectantly. “Well what are you gonna do, Prongs?! You can’t let that scumbag kiss her and get away with it!”</p><p>James didn’t have the chance to tell Sirius for the thousandth time since school began that he wasn’t going to interfere with Lily’s life anymore. Sirius went crashing to the floor tangled with a long-limbed blonde person. Remus helped Marlene up from the floor and asked if she was alright. Sirius swatted James's assisting hand away and glared at the girl. “Watch where you’re going, McKinnon!”</p><p>Marlene, who usually had inappropriate words ready to throw Sirius’s way, thanked Remus for helping her up and ran to catch up with Lily and Alice. Sirius made a snide remark about how the girl should be careful where she throws her giantess body around and clamored up off the floor. He asked Peter if it looked like there were any bruises from where he’d been body slammed. The boys ignored him and continued down the hallway. “I could have died!”</p><p>“You’re fine, Padfoot. Come along before we’re all late and McGonagall puts us in detention.” Remus called over his shoulder. Sirius continued to grumble as they made their way into the classroom. The only open seats were next to Lily, Marlene, and Alice. James strategically placed himself two seats down from Lily. Close enough where he could eavesdrop but far enough where Lily wouldn’t think it suspicious. Sirius plopped down next to Lily and smiled at her. Remus thought it would be a good idea to sit next to Sirius, attempting to keep him in line for the next hour although he knew by now nothing he did would achieve that goal. Peter sat down on the end.</p><p>As soon as Professor McGonagall began the lesson, the students were silent. The number of students who had moved on to NEWT-level Transfiguration was a testament to McGonagall’s skill as teacher and ability to prepare her students for their OWLs. She had begun the year by telling them that NEWT Transfiguration was nowhere near as easy as OWL Transfiguration and she expected all of them to be prepared for each and every class. Now in their third week of class, the sixth-years had their noses to the grindstone. McGonagall collected their essays and stacked them on her desk. She started the class by quizzing them on the readings they were supposed to have done for today. They were currently focusing on human transformations.</p><p>Lily raised her hand to answer a question and Sirius launched his up the air to give her a high five. The girl turned her head and scowled at him as McGonagall called on her to answer. Sirius decided that every time Lily raised her hand he’d high five her. Alice, Remus, and James thought it was funny and worked to contain their laughter. The blood was beginning to boil in Marlene and Lily. When McGonagall’s back was turned Lily elbowed Sirius hard in the ribs and whispered to him to knock it off. Out of the corner of her eye she saw James pass a note to Sirius but she couldn’t read what it said when he opened it. They passed the note back and forth a number of times, chuckling softly when they read what the other had written.</p><p>“Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, I’m sure you two would prefer to spend your Saturday in Hogsmeade with your classmates instead of with me in detention.” McGonagall had her lips pursed in her usual scolding way.</p><p>“Minnie, you know that James and I would adore spending our weekend with you!” Sirius grinned at her and James stuffed the note in his pocket.</p><p>“Mr. Black.” It was merely a warning and you could tell that the professor was having a hard time not letting a ghost of a smile creep up her face. Everyone knew she had a soft spot for the two boys. It didn’t mean she didn’t punish them when she caught them in some wrongdoing or other but they did get away with some things. Sirius calling her Minnie, for example.</p><p>Sirius and the other boys continued to pass notes throughout the lesson. Lily worked hard to ignore them. She wanted to tell them off after class for passing notes but she was uninterested in starting an argument. She hadn’t realized until then that it was nice to not yell at James and Sirius all the time. Marlene was clearly chomping at the bit to lash out at Sirius. Lily wouldn’t mind her friend yelling at him either. He had been a right arse throughout the lesson. Lily’s bag split as they were leaving the classroom and she waved her two friends on to their next class so they weren’t all three late.</p><p>James watched Lily stoop down and begin picking up her things. Sirius smirked and dragged Remus and Peter away. His wand had been haphazardly shoved into his pocket and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what he’d done. James took the hint and went to help gather up Lily’s belongings. He vanished the broken inkwell that had smashed when it hit the floor. A couple scrolls of parchment had rolled away from her and he picked those up.</p><p>“You dropped these too,” James smiled. He ruffled his hair up as Lily took the parchment from him. “Um, Lily…I want to apologize to you.”</p><p>Lily froze. What was he apologizing for?? She looked around the corridor to see if his friends were around. Splitting the seam on her bag was a good way to get her alone for some stupid prank.</p><p>“What are you playing at, Potter?”</p><p>“I wanted to apologize for the absolute arse I’ve been in the past.” James didn’t miss the annoyed tone. “I was wondering if we could start fresh? Turn a new leaf so to speak?”</p><p>“I don’t think so, Potter. I don’t know what you’re playing at but I know you’re just going continue to be an arrogant toerag.” Lily stalked off, hoping she wasn’t going to be late for Charms now.</p>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The dormitory of the sixth-year girls looked like a war zone. Clothes had been thrown over every available surface. The five girls in the room were frantically trying to figure out what they were going to wear. Could they borrow this shirt or that skirt? Hair was not cooperating and time was slipping away before they needed to get down to the Entrance Hall. Alice and Lily weren’t the only ones who were going on dates today. Actually, the only girl in the room without a date was Marlene who had resigned herself to spending the day with Remus and James.</p><p>“Lily, wear the green sweater! The V-neck with the cables!” Marlene was attempting to tame her curly blonde hair.</p><p>Lily was standing in the green sweater but couldn’t decide what pants she wanted to wear with it. She was holding two pairs of blue jeans, one slightly darker than the other. The red-head held them up for the blonde to pick. Marlene pointed to the darker pair and Lily shimmed into them. Alice had four dresses laid out on her bed. Marlene walked over and pointed at the navy dress with the flared skirt. Beatrice and Mary had both changed at least three times before deciding on their outfits.</p><p>“Alice, can you help me with my makeup? I look like a clown every time I do it myself,” Beatrice, like Lily, was muggle-born. Alice sat down opposite from her on the bed and tilted her head to each side before deciding on her plan of action.</p><p>Marlene plopped down on Lily’s bed, “You going to let Colin snog you today or what?”</p><p>Lily’s date with Colin had been the talk of the school. No one had been able to get Lily to go on a date since the third year and not for lack of wanting. Sirius Black and James Potter had made it their duty to prevent any eligible male from asking Lily on a date. Word had spread like wildfire that Lily was going to Hogsmeade with Colin Smith and James Potter wasn’t doing a thing to stop them. Bets had been made on how long it took for one of the two boys to ruin the date.</p><p>“Maybe? I don’t know. I want to take things slow. I like Colin, a lot, but I just,” Lily blushed furiously. Marlene was the most experienced with boys and never had issue with expressing her feelings or what she wanted. She also happened to be the oldest, her seventeenth birthday would be in a little over a month.</p><p>“Slow is good.” Marlene smiled at her. “Slow is smart.”</p><hr/><p>The Great Hall was buzzing. Every student third year and up was excited for the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year. The second years were a little put off that they were not yet old enough to go, first years were still trying to learn their way around the castle and were not concerned with a trip to the magical village. Plenty of students, boys and girls alike, would be going on first dates today which added another layer of excitement to the day. Lily and her roommates made it to the entrance of the hall when Lily stopped dead in front of them.</p><p>“I can’t do this!” The panicking Lily turned to run when Marlene caught her by the arm.</p><p>“Oh no! I don’t think so, Lil. You will not do this. You will go in there and go to Hogsmeade with Colin.” Marlene motioned to Alice to grab Lily’s other arm and together they marched her into the Great Hall.</p><p>“But what if he wants to snog me?” Lily hissed to Marlene, “I don’t know what to do!”</p><p>“I promise you,” Marlene’s smirk could have rivaled the one on Sirius Black’s face. “You’ll figure it out. It’s really not that hard.”</p><p>Sirius watched the trio of girls march by. He actually enjoyed the horror on Lily’s face in a dark, twisted way only Sirius Black could. He was a little proud of the smirk on Marlene’s face and would have admitted to it if he didn’t dislike the blonde as much as he did. Alice had more spunk than he’d given her credit for. Sirius turned back to the table where James and Remus were discussing something from Charms. Peter was sulking because he wasn’t going to Hogsmeade today. He had gotten caught sneaking down to the kitchens earlier in the week and had received detention.</p><p>“Tough luck, Pete.” James was trying to cheer up his friend with promise that they would pull a prank soon. “Padfoot, what are your plans for the day?”</p><p>“Yes, what poor girl has agreed to spend the day with you?” Remus had pulled out a Herbology book.</p><p>“If you must know, I have the pleasure of escorting Ms. Anna Henry of Ravenclaw this fine September day.” Sirius stole a piece of bacon off Remus’s plate. “So I will spend my afternoon snogging while you two spend yours with McKinnon. I think I’ve got the better end of it.”</p><p>“Sirius, why is it you don’t like Marlene again?” Remus had never understood why the two had never gotten on. She got on well enough with James and himself. Mostly with James because his mum was good friends with her granny and they’d known each since they had been toddlers.</p><p>Sirius huffed, “She told me my hair wasn’t pretty.” The flair for dramatics never ceased to amaze the boys.</p><p>Remus accepted that this was quite possibly the truth. Sirius was very – protective – of his hair and would let no one insult his ‘luscious locks’. Deep down Remus knew that Sirius had friendly feelings towards McKinnon. They were a little like James and Lily in that regard. Though if anyone tried to convince either pair of teenagers about these feelings they would surely be hexed into next week.</p><p>The four boys ignored the whispers racing around the Great Hall. Marlene and Alice, with Lily still pinned between them, marched between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables to near the front of the hall where Frank and Aiden were sitting. Colin wasn’t with them. The girls sat down opposite the two boys. Marlene generously filled Lily’s plate with food even though her friend looked a little green at the prospect of going on a date today. The whispers grew louder and became more of a buzz as Colin came strolling down the tables. James barely lifted his head as the older boy walked past him and his friends. He could almost feel the annoyance radiating from Sirius.</p><p>“Yeuch – he gave her a lily? Really? That’s so cliché. Everyone knows Lily hates lilies – which is kind of ironic,” Remus gave Sirius the shut-up look. The boy responded with the utmost maturity and stuck his tongue out.</p><p>Lily wasn’t a fan of lilies. Which her mother thought incredibly funny. Of course, Petunia loved petunias, making Lily’s dislike even more humorous to her mother. She accepted the flower from the boy, her mother had raised her with manners and though she did not like lilies she appreciated the gesture.</p><p>“It’s a tiger lily.” Colin was beaming as a smile stretched across Lily’s face. Lily’s mind had jumped to Peter Pan and Tiger Lily and Wendy and getting to ride the train into London over the summer and time spent with good friends. She had completely missed Colin’s explanation as to why he had gotten her a tiger lily but it didn’t seem to matter much. Lily was still feeling a little nervous but she knew that her friends would never steer her in the wrong direction on purpose.</p><hr/><p>James sat with his back to the door of the Three Broomsticks. Remus and Marlene sat across from him engaged in a conversation that James had completely zoned out from. It hadn’t taken long for Marlene to tell James off for moping about Lily on her date even though he had tried to hide it. In all his maturity James had stuck his tongue out at her and tried to get Madam Rosmerta to let him order firewhiskey. She had returned to their table with three butterbeers.</p><p>“Merlin, Remus! You can’t be serious!” Marlene exclaimed exasperated by Remus’s take on how the Ministry was handling the rise of the Dark Lord.</p><p>“Marlene, I’m not saying I agree with what they’re doing. All I’m saying is that I understand why.” The sandy-haired boy took a sip of butterbeer. “They’re scared. There’s no precedent to tell them how to handle all the goings on.”</p><p>James was a little impressed with his friend. “Ever thought of a career in law, Moony?” Remus glared at James across the table. The number of times he had explained to his friend that no one in their right mind would hire a werewolf - let alone the Ministry of Magic. The bespectacled boy put his hands up in surrender. The blonde girl muttered something under her breath that neither boy caught.</p><p>A gust of wind blew from the just opened door to James’s back and ruffled his disordered hair. He didn’t look to see who it was, the musical laugh told him exactly who it was. James slumped a little more down in his seat. Both Marlene and Remus gave him sympathetic looks. Marlene waved at her best friend and Remus grimaced a smile out of kindness. James glared across the table again as Lily and Colin walked over to say hello.</p><p>Colin, ever the gentleman, politely said hello to all three students. Lily smiled brightly at Marlene and Remus. She glanced at James who looked like he was falling apart. Something tugged inside of her. She didn’t understand the feeling. When she had first seen the trio, she had been intent on just ignoring James and pretending he wasn’t with Marlene and Remus. Instead she greeted him with a curt nod, neither warm nor cold, “Potter.”</p><p>James looked up at her. Confusion in his hazel eyes. He nodded back in the same manner, “Evans.”</p><p>The couple went to find their own table. Marlene exhaled the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding in. If someone had asked her how she thought James would react when Lily brought her date over to his table that is not how she would have responded. “I’m proud of you, James.”</p><p>He looked across the table at her. A terrible mixture of sadness, confusion, annoyance, and a little bit of anger boiled in his eyes, reflecting what was inside his heart. “I apologized to her after Transfiguration on Monday.”</p><p>Marlene was a little surprised by this. She knew James had started to mature a little bit over the summer. She figured that Lily had finally kicked him to the point where he wasn’t going to get back up. Especially since he had stopped communicating with her, or rather trying to communicate by sending one-sided letters, with her over the summer. “She didn’t tell me that.”</p><p>“I asked if we could turn a new leaf, that I was sorry for being an arse all this time,” James looked absolutely miserable. “She said no. That I was only going to continue being arrogant.”</p><p>The look James gave to his two friends begged for help. He needed them to help him figure out how to fix this mess that he had made. Marlene was caught between a rock and a hard place. On the one hand, she had known James the longest and he was practically her brother, on the other Lily was her best friend in the whole world. Remus wasn’t sure what to say to James either. He didn’t want to give him false hope that Lily and Colin wouldn’t work out but at the same time he didn’t want James to give up. Both Remus and Marlene had a feeling the James was right, that he and Lily were soulmates. Lily just needed to realize it.</p><p>“I think you should continue showing Lily that you’ve changed, that you’re not the kid who dangled Snape upside down by the lake last June.” Remus knew that this was really the only advice that he could give to him.</p><p>“I second that,” Marlene watched as James seemed to sink lower. “Lily is never going to give you a chance if she doesn’t think you’ve matured.”</p><p>James sighed and peered around Marlene’s shoulder. Lily and Colin were sitting at a table in the corner. The redhead threw her head back and laughed. Colin looked pleased with himself. James’s eyes lingered for a moment longer and he caught a glance from Colin. Lily was still laughing and missed the silent exchange between the two boys. Colin gave James the smallest of gloating smirks before he turned back to his date.</p><p>The sixth-year inhaled sharply. That was it. He was going to be so incredibly kind that Lily would be forced to acknowledge him. He knew that he couldn’t mess with Colin, that was completely out of the question. Lily would never forgive him for messing up the relationship she clearly desired with Colin. There was only one thing that James could do. “I’m going to kill him with kindness.”</p><p>Marlene and Remus were baffled. James stood up abruptly, smiled at them and said goodbye as he grabbed his coat and left. They looked at each other and turned around. Lily and Colin were sitting far back in a corner. The two had gotten pretty cozy and were snuggled up next to each other at the table.</p><p>“Should we maybe go after him?” Remus asked, James wasn’t behaving how anyone expected him to these days.</p><p>“You don’t think he’d do something stupid, do you?” While Marlene had known James for the past sixteen years she hadn’t quite figured out how his brain worked yet.</p><p>The two Gryffindors scrambled up from the table and grabbed their coats. They were slinging them on as they raced out the door. Marlene very nearly missed punching a third-year Hufflepuff girl in the face as she slid her left arm into the fall jacket. Some of the older students snickered as they watched the two race out the door. While they were an odd pairing, bets were placed on where they’d be caught snogging later.</p><p>Remus and Marlene ran into Sirius and Anna as they were leaving the village in pursuit of James. The urgency of Marlene and Remus made Sirius pause to hear them out. It wasn’t even a question, Sirius dropped Anna’s hand and started sprinting towards the castle. Remus chased after him unsure of which direction Sirius would urge him to act in. Marlene shrugged an apologetic look at the Ravenclaw and sprinted off after the boys.</p><hr/><p>Marlene was the last to enter the Gryffindor Common Room. She scanned the room for the three Marauders. Not a single one of them was there. A handful of first-years were trying to play exploding snap by the fire. “Oy! Where’d Potter, Lupin, and Black go?” The first-years looked at her blankly, terrified that a sixth-year was addressing them. One of the boys pointed to the stairs that led up to the boys’ dormitory. The blonde girl dashed up the stairs and through the open door to the sixth-year boys’ room.</p><p>“Merlin! It’s only been three weeks! How can this room look and smell so disgusting!” Marlene looked around the room in awe. There were four claimed beds in the room and an empty fifth bed. Three fifths of the room were an absolute monstrosity. The other two-fifths were Remus’s side of the room.</p><p>James, Remus, and Sirius all looked up at her. Remus pulled a face that said, ‘trust me it gets a lot worse’. A cork board had been set up between James’s bed and Sirius’s. The two black-headed boys turned back to said board and whatever argument was being had before Marlene barged in. Remus walked over to her and informed her that James had decided that he was going to create ‘objectives’ and a ‘timeline’ for Lily seeing how mature he had become. He added that James and Sirius were arguing over what the objectives should be and what order they needed to be put in.</p><p>“James, you’re off your rocker.” Marlene marched over and scanned over the board. There were lists and pictures and other bits of parchment posted to it. One list was titled ‘Lily’s favourites.’</p><p>“Now this is just wrong, James.” Marlene snatched the parchment from the wall and danced away from James.</p><p>She snatched a pre-inked quill off of the nearest desk and scratched items off the list. She wrote in new ones. Marlene looked up at James shrewdly, as if trying to assess how intent he was on changing. She handed the parchment back to him and grabbed a new piece off the desk. She scribbled a few things down on it and looked at Remus. He guessed she wanted his opinion on what she was writing. When he looked down he burst out laughing and took the quill from her and added a few items of his own. Remus handed this second piece of parchment to Sirius for a third opinion. The boy barked a laugh and pinned the parchment to the board.</p><p>“Knowing Lily’s favourite things is great, Prongs, but you’re going to need to know what not to do too.” Remus was laughing and Marlene had a triumphant look on her face. James smiled a true smile. He certainly had some of the best friends in the entire world. Together the four students worked on James’s ‘plan’ until Peter entered the dorm. The short boy couldn’t decide if he was more confused at Marlene’s presence in their dorm room, that Marlene and Sirius were cooperating with each other, or that Sirius had clearly ditched his date to come back and do something in the dorm room.</p><hr/><p>Colin and Lily walked up the path from the gates towards the castle. It was nearing dinner time and there were only a few stragglers still on their way back from the village. Although the day had been warm with the sun, it was breezy. The wind picked up and swirled Lily’s vibrant hair around her face. When she finally managed to get her hair under control, Colin was standing very close to her. Lily looked into his grey eyes and bit her lower lip ever so slightly. Colin leaned in and pressed his lips gently to Lily’s. Her hand pressed gently against his chest as he wrapped an arm around her. When they broke apart Lily smiled shyly at Colin and blushed.</p><p>“It’s not quite time for supper,” Colin grabbed Lily’s hand and took a step off the path slowly. His face held a question. Lily stepped off the path after him. She followed him down towards the lake and a large oak tree. They sat on the other side of the tree to keep from being seen by straggling students.</p><p>Colin sat down first and pulled Lily down beside him. He leaned in for another kiss and placed his hand at the back of Lily’s neck. Lily thought he was being quite gentle. He wasn’t a bad kisser either. Colin didn’t push Lily to go too fast. He made no attempt at putting his hand up her sweater or down her pants. Lily was content. This is what being sixteen was. Snogging a nice boy down by the lake. For no reason at all, the face of James Potter appeared in her head. Lily pulled back from Colin quickly.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Lily.” She assured him that he hadn’t done anything wrong. “You’re a good kisser.” Lily threw her hand over her mouth mortified. She scrambled up off the ground and stuttered something about needing to change before dinner. Lily took off at a run towards the castle, leaving Colin sitting beneath the tree by himself.</p><p>While Lily was mortified, Colin was smiling. He watched the girl all the way up to the castle before he stood up and dusted himself off. Lily Evans had snogged him and he was the only boy in all of Hogwarts that got to say that. He whistled a tune as he found his way back up to the castle.</p>
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<a name="section0006"><h2>6. A Fool Moon</h2></a>
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    <p>Lily was stretched out across the bed with a very battered and worn copy of The Hobbit. She had elected to stay in her dorm room for the rest of the weekend to avoid embarrassing herself further. She had managed to avoid most of her friends as she slipped back into the dormitory while everyone else made their way down to the Great Hall for supper. Lily was a quarter of the way through her book when Mary and Alice came into the room. Mary smiled at Lily, collected her Herbology books and left. Alice sat down on the foot of her bed, opposite from Lily.</p><p>“That bad, huh?” Alice smiled kindly at Lily. “Colin didn’t mention anything to Frank about the date being bad.”</p><p>Lily looked up at Alice. She couldn’t hold it in. She spilled everything. The date was wonderful. Colin was such a gentleman. They had a great time in Hogsmeade and came back later than most of the students. They went and had a snog behind a tree. Lily told her about how all of a sudden James Potter’s face had appeared in her head and she practically shoved Colin away from confusion and terror. And then she proceeded to tell Colin he was a good kisser after he asked her what was wrong. Lily look as mortified telling Alice as she had when she told Colin he was a good kisser.</p><p>Alice couldn’t help herself, she started to giggle and then laugh and then she was on floor. Marlene entered just as Alice rolled sideways and slammed her head into the leg of the bed. Lily, who had been pouting before, couldn’t help but start to laugh at Alice hitting her head.</p><p>“You two are absolutely nutters,” Marlene stood and watched them before sitting down on the floor next Alice. “Lily, do you want to stop laughing and put your healer aspirations to use, I think Alice hit her head pretty hard.”</p><p>“Lily told Colin he was a good kisser and then ran away because she was thinking of James Potter,” Alice continued to roll around laughing. Lily attempted to throw pillows at the tiny girl but Marlene happened to be in the way.</p><p>“One: Lily you’re hitting me with the bloody pillows, stop. Two: You said what to Colin? Three: Because you were thinking about James?” Marlene looked at Lily with a mix of shock, awe, and humour. She burst out laughing too and joined Alice in rolling around on the floor in fits of giggles.</p><p>“You’re both bonkers!” Lily shouted at them as she dashed down the stairs to the Common Room. She ran straight into none other than James Potter, who was accompanied by Sirius Black.</p><p>Lily was falling backwards from her collision with James. He was a lot more solid than you’d expect. James reached out to catch and steady her.</p><p>“Alright, Evans?” James asked slightly concerned, Lily looked like the world was ending.</p><p>The girl couldn’t even manage a ‘sod off, Potter.’ She spun around and ran back up towards her dormitory. The two boys watched her go.</p><p>“Are you sure you want to date her mate? She’s a little odd.” Sirius was incredibly skeptical.</p><hr/><p>September faded into October as the last of the summery weather disappeared. The sun still shone brightly but the air raised goose bumps on skin. It was the first week of the month and the full moon was on Friday night. Remus was irritated and a little on edge Wednesday afternoon during the sixth-year double Arithmancy lesson. James and Sirius were trading notes back and forth about the plans for Friday night while Remus tried to focus on the lesson. Peter wasn’t taking the class with them. On the other side of the room Lily and Alice were discussing plans of their own for Friday night, however, they were paying a little bit more attention to the lesson than James and Sirius were. The girls had placed a third piece of parchment between them where they occasionally jotted down a comment unrelated to the lesson. Both had dates on Friday night.</p><p>“Would you two cut it out?” Remus whispered harshly as the umpteenth note passed in front of him. James and Sirius had thought it would make the most sense to sit on either side of Remus while passing notes.</p><p>“Oh, come on Moony, we’re planning for Friday night.” Sirius had a dopey grin stretched across his face. James looked apologetically at Remus. Instead of passing his response to Sirius in front of Remus, he passed it behind his back.</p><p>“Thank you.” Remus grumbled as he scribbled something down on the paper.</p><p>Snape was sitting a few seats away from Lily and had been staring at her for most of the lesson. Occasionally he’d send a glare towards James but for the most part he kept his eyes on Lily. Sirius had noted this and urged James to hex the slimeball. James reminded him that hexing Snape was on the ‘Lily will hate me list’ and that he was just going to ignore the greasy git. When the bell rang signaling the end of the lesson, James watched Lily give Snape a look that could kill. He quickly turned away so that Lily didn’t think he was watching her. On the inside, he was elated. Remus had told him that she had stopped talking to Snape but to watch her send him a look that was usually reserved for when James was being a git was magical.</p><p>Lily and Alice walked out together, whispering excitedly about Friday night. Snape skulked along behind them. The three Marauders followed behind. A handful of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs brought up the rear as the sixth-years that were taking Potions traipsed down to the dungeons. Marlene McKinnon was waiting in the Entrance Hall for Lily and Alice. She smiled and joined their conversation as they entered the passageway that led to the Potions classrooms.</p><p>NEWT Potions had proven a true test for the sixth-year students. Not because Professor Slughorn was a particularly hard teacher but because instead of taking classes with their fellow housemates and another house, the four houses had been combined. They had been forced to pick partners the first day of class which led to some confusion among the students. There was the possibility that a student might not stay partnered with a housemate, or even a friend at that. Nine Gryffindors, twelve Ravenclaws, nine Slytherins, and eight Hufflepuffs. The Marauders were particularly at a loss because instead of four they were now three since Peter wasn’t taking Potions.</p><p>Remus had accepted graciously that Sirius and James should remain partners. This was how he had ended up being partnered with Lily in the first week of classes. There had always been an odd number of Gryffindor students in their year and somehow Lily had always ended up partner-less. Which was never an issue as she was brilliant at Potions. She secretly believed that Slughorn would never have believed a muggle-born witch could be as talented as she was at potions if she had had a partner. As the students numbered thirty-eight and Remus had lost his partner, he took the empty seat next Lily on day one. Today, Lily was bubbly and peppy. Remus was tired, irritated, and about ready to strangle Sirius.</p><p>“Alright, Remus?” Lily smiled brightly at him.</p><p>“Just a little tired is all. McGonagall was right when she said NEWTs were going to be challenging.” Remus was grumblier than he meant to be but damn it Lily did not need to be so peppy.</p><p>She nodded her affirmation of how challenging the past month had been in comparison to last year. “She told me when she handed out timetables that we need to support each other over the next two years seeing as we have the hardest course load.”</p><p>Remus exhaled slowly. Lily was just being her kind self. He didn’t need to bite her head off because he was feeling tired and grumpy. Especially when it was this close to the full moon. “Thanks, Lily.”</p><p>The lesson was going without incident. Lily and Remus’s cauldron was the appropriate shade of mauve. Lily had set Remus to crushing the beans with the flat of his knife while she stirred the cauldron. Lily looked at her watch and looked up.</p><p>“Just on time. Sirius, what would you like this time?” Lily had decided last week that Sirius always found his way over to their table at exactly halfway through the lesson. It was more amusing than annoying, considering James seemed to have a difficult time with whatever potion was brewing while Sirius chitchatted.</p><p>“Have you been keeping track of what I do during class, Miss Evans?” Sirius stood aghast, ever the drama queen. “That’s a little stalkerish. I’d expect that kind of behaviour from Snivellus but from Miss Lily ‘Prefect’ Evans? Never!”</p><p>“Don’t get too close to our potion, Sirius. Wouldn’t want your pretty hair to get singed.” Lily smirked as Sirius, playing along, jumped back.</p><p>“You demon woman! How dare you threaten my hair!” Sirius tossed his head. “Remus, I’m going back over to James. If she threatens your hair, call for help and we’ll come to the rescue.”<br/>Remus exhaled deeply. One of these days he was going to push Sirius off the Astronomy tower. “We could actually burn his hair off if you want to.”</p><p>Lily looked at the tall boy rather surprised. It wasn’t often that he made comments like that about his friends. Lily watched him carefully as she began stirring counter clockwise. Remus looked rather grey and he was very irritable. She hadn’t missed that he had snapped at the two boys earlier during Arithmancy. She and Remus were the only two sixth-years taking eight NEWT classes and she had to admit the load was taking a toll on her too.</p><p>“We could toss a dungbomb into their cauldron? Get both of them at the same time?” Lily stated matter-of-factly. “Plus we could take points away from them for accusing us because we’re the prefects.”</p><p>Remus put down the knife and looked at her. “Am I hearing this correctly? Lily Evans wants to throw a dungbomb into Black and Potter’s cauldron and then take points away when they get upset because their hair gets singed?”</p><p>“Yep.” Remus looked shocked for a split second and then burst into laughter. The students around them looked confused. Remus and Lily weren’t usually the ones who were off task. Sirius looked concerned. He hid behind James and covered his hair. Alice and Marlene smiled at the pair of prefects. Marlene was glad that Lily could get along with one of the Marauders as well she did. It would make it a whole lot easier to get her to realize James wasn’t so awful.</p><p>Both James and Sirius had to admit that Remus was in much better spirits after Potions than he had been before. James didn’t quite understand why Sirius was so jumpy though. He kept ducking behind things and covering his head as they made their way up to the tower to drop off their books before dinner.</p><hr/><p>“Hurry up, Peter!” The boys were sprinting down the lawn towards the Whomping Willow. Peter, the shortest and roundest of the trio, was a good twenty meters behind James and Sirius, “He’s going to see the moon before we’ve transformed!”</p><p>Peter transformed into Wormtail as he got within striking distance of the tree. He scurried across the remaining feet and hit the knot in the tree. James and Sirius went scrambling through the hole at the base of the tree. The boys could hear the screams at the end of the tunnel. James and Sirius transformed as soon as they got inside the Shrieking Shack. Padfoot scampered into the room where Remus was transforming. Prongs waited for Wormtail to emerge from the tunnel. Rat and stag joined the dog and wolf in what used to be a dining room before Remus had completely destroyed it during his earlier transformations. There were claw marks down the walls and any furniture that had been in the room was a pile of rubbish now.</p><p>Moony snapped at Padfoot. Prongs pawed at the wooden floor and tossed his head. Moony snapped again and Prongs snorted. Padfoot made a sort of yipping noise and snapped playfully at Moony’s heels. Prongs knelt down so that Wormtail could climb onto his back. Padfoot snapped again at Moony’s heels, guiding him towards the door. The Marauders were off on another adventure. Tonight they had planned to explore the depths of the Forbidden Forest. Padfoot let Moony chase him into the trees, Prongs pranced along behind them with Wormtail bouncing on his back.</p><hr/><p>Three tired boys scrambled through the portrait hole, one under an invisibility cloak and the other two with a piece of folded parchment. It was the wee hours of the morning. Fortunately, it was also Saturday, which meant they didn’t need to be up in three hours for a class. They were making their way towards the stairs when James noticed the Common Room was not as empty as they had come to expect when they returned from their monthly adventure. A redhead was asleep at a table. Notes spread out in front of her. Her hand awfully close to tipping an inkwell over.</p><p>Peter grumbled something and left his friends. He was in no mood to stay up any longer. Sirius shook his head and watched the plump boy enter the door to the stairs. “It’s not like we were going to let it actually eat him.”</p><p>“Think we should wake her up?” James was watching Lily not Peter. “Her neck is going to hurt in the morning if she continues to sleep like that.”</p><p>Sirius shrugged, “Well it’ll go one of two ways. She’ll appreciate that you woke her and she didn’t spill ink over all her notes or she’ll question why you’re down in the Common Room at four-thirty in the morning.” The shaggy-haired boy didn’t wait for an answer and trudged off to bed after Peter. James sat down in a chair and watched Lily for a few minutes. He decided that waking her up and dealing with her questions was probably better than her having a sore neck and spilling ink everywhere.</p><p>First, James closed and moved the inkwell away so that Lily wouldn’t accidentally knock it over when he woke her up. He knelt down beside her and put his hand on her back. He gently rocked her back and forth. “Lily. Lily, you’ve got to wake up. You can’t sleep on a table like this.” It took a minute or two for the rocking to stir Lily.</p><p>“Wha? Wha time izit?” Lily barely opened her eyes.</p><p>“It’s about half past four in the morning, you fell asleep studying.” James’s voice was soft. “You should go up to bed.”</p><p>Lily was only half awake. She looked at James and let him help her up out of the chair. The boy helped her put her things back into her bag and made sure she got to the stairs to the girls’ dormitory. “Goodnight, Lily.” James watched her through the doorway and up the first couple of stairs.</p><p>“Goonight, James.” A grin stretched over James’s tired face. He stood at the bottom of the stairs until he heard a door open then close near the top of the stairs. He turned around and made his way to his own four-poster bed. He was certain Lily wouldn’t remember it in the morning but James was going to hold it close to his heart. Something that meant there was hope.</p><hr/><p>Lily sat down next to Alice at breakfast. Marlene had stolen a pot of coffee from down the table and wasn’t letting anyone touch it. It was just the three of them that morning, Frank and Colin were nowhere in sight. Lily craned her neck around. It was incredibly sore for some reason. She wrote it off to sleeping in a strange position. She had had odd dreams all night long. One of them involved James Potter and she was sure that she was starting to lose her mind with her schoolwork.</p><p>“Lily, when did you end up going to sleep last night?” Alice covered a yawn as she grabbed another piece of toast from the tray.</p><p>“I don’t remember, I must have fallen asleep in the Common Room and woke up at some point.” Lily put her fork down and thought for a moment. “Actually, it’s rather odd. I had a dream last night that someone woke me up in the Common Room and told me I should go to bed.”</p><p>Marlene raised an inquisitive eyebrow. She had thought Lily was starting to let loose a little and that she had snuck out with Colin somewhere. “Was that someone Colin and was he telling you that instead of spending the rest of the night studying that you should go have a snog?”</p><p>Lily ignored her. “Actually, it was Potter.”</p><p>Marlene opened her mouth to say something snarky about maybe Lily was actually in love with James and she fancied snogging him.</p><p>“No.” Lily glared across the table. “Anyways, I’m dating Colin. I can’t like two boys at the same time.”</p><p>“So it’s just a question of liking two boys at the same time? Not a question of whether you dislike James anymore? Interesting, I’ll make sure to tell him.” Marlene winked at Lily and took another sip of her coffee.</p><p>Lily rolled her eyes. “As if Potter could mature long enough to not play a prank on me while I’m asleep in the Common Room.”</p><p>“Sounds like he did.” Alice stated. She looked at Lily and shrugged. “It would certainly explain your odd dream and how you got from the Common Room to our dormitory without really remembering it. I know I read somewhere that sometimes when you sleep you can wake up without really wak-”</p><p>Marlene cut in, “It’s too early. Stop with the teaching of interesting facts.”</p><p>Alice stuck her tongue out at exactly the moment Frank sat down beside her. She smiled and kissed his cheek. Frank asked Marlene to pass him the coffee. The blonde glared at him and moved it farther away. Lily took the opportunity to snatch it as it was now within arms’ reach for her. She poured herself a cup of coffee much to Marlene’s dismay then passed the pot back. Three very tired looking Marauders made their entrance and sat down next to the girls and Frank. Marlene was trying to fend Sirius off as he tried to steal her coffee too. James and Lily caught each other’s eye for a split second. James gave Lily a very tired smile and sat down next to Peter, leaving a few spaces between them at the table. Lily didn’t smile, she was confused. Had she dreamed about him last night or had he actually woken her up and sent her to bed? Lily shook her head, she needed more coffee before trying to figure out such a confusing question.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Changes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>October seemed to both drag on and fly by for the students. There was the promise of another Hogsmeade weekend at the end of the month and the excitement that started halfway through about the Halloween feast. Fall was swooping across the grounds, leaves changed colours and the windy gusts sent drafts through the big castle. Up in Gryffindor Tower, changes were happening too. Changes that the students in the house couldn’t miss even if they were blind.</p><p>An interesting assortment of sixth- and seventh-year students had taken the best spot by the fire on that rainy Saturday night. Marlene and Remus had squished together on the couch with an Ancient Runes book opened on their laps. They were working to translate something and kept arguing over this symbol or that. Alice was sitting on the floor with her back against the couch Remus and Marlene were sharing. Frank was leaning against the squishy armchair next to her and Alice had laid her legs across his lap. James and Sirius were flat on their stomachs stretched out in front of the fire. Sirius had a book about the English Quidditch team in front of him. James was scribbling Quidditch plays into his playbook, occasionally asking for Sirius’s input. Lily was sitting sideways in the second armchair with her legs hooked over the side. A book of charms in her lap. Colin was leaning against her armchair with his head leaned back against his girlfriend’s thigh. It was one of those few nights where Aiden had also joined them. He and another seventh-year boy, Andrew Keaton, were sitting at the table behind Remus and Marlene. Peter had managed a detention earlier in the week during one of the Marauders’ pranks.</p><p>Alice kept throwing glances at Lily and throwing her eyes up to indicate the two students behind her. Lily smirked and watched her two friends sitting on the couch. They were having a heated argument about the line they had just translated.</p><p>“Remus, that doesn’t make any sense!” Marlene was scratching out whatever had been written on the parchment.</p><p>“Yes, it does!” Remus snatched the quill from Marlene and stretched it above his head.</p><p>The girl tried to reach the quill, “Merlin, you have freakishly long arms! Give me back my quill!”</p><p>The group of students stopped to watch them. Marlene was now standing on the couch trying to reach for the quill. Remus stretched his arm out to the side and raised an eyebrow in challenge. Alice, seeing that she was in danger of getting kicked in the head, scooted away from the couch and closer to Frank. James and Sirius watched as Marlene leaned over Remus to reach the quill. Both parchment and Runes book had tumbled onto the floor, forgotten. Remus waited until all of Marlene’s weight was resting on him. He tossed the quill into Lily’s lap and stood up with Marlene slung over his shoulder.</p><p>Marlene screeched as Remus spun her around. “Put me down!”</p><p>The Gryffindors around them were all laughing. Even Sirius got a kick out of it. Remus dumped Marlene’s body down on the couch. He reached down to pick up the book and parchment. Marlene swatted at his head. “Lily, can I have my quill back please?”</p><p>Lily held the quill out to Marlene and then handed it Colin. Marlene glared at Lily and pushed Remus out of the way as she scrambled off the couch. Colin tossed the quill to Sirius who passed it to James. The quill was passed around the circle. The teens were all standing now, playing the game of keep away. When the quill was passed back to James, Marlene launched herself into a full-body tackle. Sirius got out of the way in time but Lily was blindsided by his body. Marlene, James, and Lily went down into a heap on the rug. The blonde snatched the quill and untangled herself from James. She grabbed the book and parchment from the couch and stalked off to the dormitory.</p><p>“Sorry, Evans.” James murmured as he pulled her up from the floor. “I knew I shouldn’t have taught that girl how to tackle.”</p><p>Lily’s hand lingered in James’s a moment longer than Colin was comfortable with. The seventh-year sent a look that James caught. He dropped Lily’s hand and returned to his seat by the fire. Alice and Frank had taken the opportunity to steal the couch for themselves. Lily dashed for her armchair to prevent anyone from stealing it. Colin settled in front of her, eyes still on James. Sirius laid back down on the floor, watching Colin. Almost daring him to say something to James. Remus took the empty armchair opposite Lily. Alice and Lily both caught the flush that was just creeping across his face and the dopey smile. Aiden and Andrew had remained at their table as spectators during the whole thing.</p><hr/><p>“How perfect is it that Halloween is on a Saturday this year?” Sirius piled breakfast potatoes onto his plate. “And it’s a Hogsmeade weekend. I mean the only thing that could make next weekend better would be if it was a full moon too.”</p><p>Remus glared across the table at Sirius. “Speak for yourself. I’m glad that it’s not.”</p><p>“Aw, but we love your furry little problem, Moony!” James grinned as he smothered his pancakes in syrup and butter. “You know we do.”</p><p>Peter nodded enthusiastically as he reached for the pumpkin juice. The boys’ endorsement of his furry little problem didn’t cheer Remus up. He was more focused on another problem at the moment. The boys animatedly discussed their plans for their annual Halloween prank. Sirius was determined to have white jumpsuits involved. He was waving his hands all around and nearly knocked over the pumpkin juice.</p><p>A little way down the table, Marlene and Lily were watching them suspiciously. Both girls knew they were planning something for Halloween. First, it was tradition for the Marauders to play some sort of prank for Halloween. Second, pranks were the only thing that made Sirius that excited. Not even girls could evoke such a look of pure joy on the boy’s face. Lily looked at James to see how excited he was. His hazel eyes looked up at just the right moment. Lily caught them. There was something different about them. They were no longer filled with a boyish longing. James looked happy. Lily smiled at him and turned back to her friends. Maybe Marlene and Alice were on to something. Maybe she and James could stop being enemies. She was certainly enjoying not yelling at him anymore.</p><p>Sirius and Peter left the table, Sirius to go and fetch his Herbology book that he’d forgotten and Peter off for his free period. James and Remus headed out into the grounds for Herbology. The morning was rather cool, some students had even worn their scarves out. James could tell Remus was a little anxious about something.</p><p>“Spit it out, Moony.” James slung his arm around Remus’s shoulder.</p><p>“Would it be okay if I asked Marlene to Hogsmeade next weekend?” Remus looked sideways at James trying to gage his reaction.</p><p>James wasn’t too surprised, especially after that past Saturday night in the Common Room. “Absolutely, Moony! You don’t need my permission to ask her.”</p><p>“She’s like a sister to you,” Remus shrugged a little bit. “I didn’t want it to be weird or anything.”</p><p>“It won’t be weird for me but I don’t know how Padfoot will feel about it.” James felt himself yanked backwards a little bit.</p><p>“How I’ll feel about what?” Sirius eyed the two of them suspiciously. “Not changing our plans for Halloween, are you?”</p><p>Remus explained to Sirius that he was going to ask Marlene to go with him to Hogsmeade next weekend. “Remus! How could you do this to me? You’re deserting me for McKinnon? Oh, what cruel world is this?”</p><p>James and Remus shoved Sirius backwards and then sprinted down the lawn to the greenhouses. Sirius landed in a puddle and scowled. Marlene, Lily, and Alice walked by him and laughed. The boy picked up a glob of mud and hurled it at them as they passed by. Lily’s wand was out and she flicked her wrist, sending the mudball flying back into Sirius’s face. The girls cackled as they picked up their pace. They arrived just in time for Professor Sprout to open the greenhouse door and let the students in. Emmeline Vance was their fourth in Herbology and she greeted the girls warmly as they joined her at their table. Sirius was the last student to enter. He still had a little bit of mud in his hair.</p><p>“Oy! Black! You’ve got something in your hair!” Marlene burst into giggles as Sirius slowly pulled the gunk of mud from his hair and threw it to the greenhouse floor. Professor Sprout ushered him to join James and Remus at their table. The only table of three in class.</p><p>“Go for a romp in the mud, Padfoot?” James chuckled as he pulled another clump of mud from his friend’s hair.</p><p>“Sod off, Potter.”</p><hr/><p>Marlene was sitting in the library late on a Sunday afternoon. She was trying to finish the essay for Divination and was not having much luck finding the right book. It only added to her frustration that none of her friends had taken Divination this year. Unless you counted Peter and no one ever did. She was about to give up and return to the tower before dinner when someone sat down across from her. Marlene looked up at Remus and smiled. “Hey, Remus. I was just about to head back to the tower.”</p><p>“Oh, I’ll walk with you then.” Remus had his bag with him to pretend he had come to the library to do work.</p><p>“Didn’t you come to do work?” Marlene didn’t think Remus was type of person to skive off his work.</p><p>“I was actually headed back when I saw you sitting by yourself. Thought you might like some company.” On the outside he was completely composed, inside his mind was screaming.</p><p>The pair left the library side by side under Madam Pince’s disapproving look. She always thought the worst of the students. The younger ones disrespected the books and the older ones behaved inappropriately in the corners of the library. Marlene was excitedly telling Remus about her birthday on Wednesday. She was pretty sure she was going to get her grandmother’s old watch that she had fallen in love with as a child. Remus smiled at her. He could start to feel the uneasy feeling in his stomach as he started to get a little anxious about asking her.</p><p>They were walking along an empty hallway as they made their way to the stairs from the sixth to seventh floor. Remus stopped them and pulled Marlene into a little alcove. Marlene looked at him curiously. There was the smallest of flushes on his face. Other than that you couldn’t tell how nervous he was to ask Marlene.</p><p>“I was wondering if you’d like to go with me to Hogsmeade on Halloween?” Remus didn’t stutter and didn’t speak too quickly.</p><p>A beautiful smile stretched across Marlene’s face. She leaned in and gave Remus a peck on the cheek. “I would love to go with you to Hogsmeade, Remus.”</p><p>Remus grinned. All of the shyness seemed to vanish in that instant. Marlene’s face was still hovering close to his. Remus slowly reached a hand up to her cheek. She didn’t flinch or move away, Remus took that as an okay and leaned in to kiss her. Their lips met a little clumsily at first but it didn’t take long for the two teens to hit their stride. Remus sat down on the bench against the wall and pulled Marlene into his lap. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss.</p><p>Someone clearing their voice brought the two students back to reality. Professor McGonagall was standing in the corridor with one of her strict expressions. Marlene and Remus stood up quickly and looked at McGonagall petrified. “Mr. Lupin, Miss McKinnon. I suggest you return to your Common Room before dinner. Remember you’re a prefect, Mr. Lupin.” Both students grabbed their bags and took off down the corridor.</p><hr/><p>“Your lips are a little swollen there, Remus.” James teased his friend. “Get hit in the mouth by something?”</p><p>Remus didn’t even blush. He grinned wolfishly at his friends as they sat down in the Great Hall. Marlene was sitting down the table with Lily, Alice, Frank, Colin, and a seventh-year girl. She kept glancing at Remus and he kept grinning. The two had spent plenty of time together that week and were excited for their date to Hogsmeade tomorrow. Sirius had turned the tables on Remus and pretended to lecture him every time he came back from a late night ‘walk.’ These lectures usually consisted of Remus not upholding his duties as Marauder, what with their Halloween prank happening tomorrow. Sirius would even lecture him about his duties as a prefect and how he needed to be a good role model for the younger students. This he did in an impeccable Lily Evans impression that even James found it hard not to laugh.</p><p>“I think for my birthday I want some of what Moony is getting.” Sirius grinned, it had been a while since he’d had a good snog. The boys didn’t understand the context of Sirius’s comment and they just sort of looked at him like he was a nutter. “Not Marlene! A snog. I want to snog someone on my birthday. You sick bastards. Why would I ever want to snog McKinnon?”</p><p>James exchanged looks with Remus. “Sure. That’s what you meant, Padfoot. You’re not jealous at all that Moony here is going on a date with Marlene.”</p><p>Sirius huffed and muttered something about respecting elders under his breath. “Don’t come looking for me when you need wisdom from such an experienced expert.”</p><p>“You’re four months older than us, Padfoot. Please forgive us if we look elsewhere for wisdom.” James was in stitches, he was laughing so hard.</p><hr/><p>James, Sirius, and Peter spent their trip to Hogsmeade camped out in the Three Broomsticks drinking butterbeer. The weather outside was abominable. Wind was howling and rain was falling sideways. It didn’t deter the students from getting out of the castle. No one wanted to pass up the opportunity of being mostly unchaperoned for the day. They hadn’t run into the three couples that had been spending an awful lot of time together in the past week. The sky was darkening outside as the storm picked up. James frowned, he thought Remus and Marlene would have come to the Three Broomsticks at some point. The boys finished off their fourth round of Butterbeers and started the trek back to school.</p><p>Groups of students were all along the path that led back to Hogwarts. All struggling with the onslaught of wind and rain. Argus Filch, the caretaker was at the entrance to the castle, forcing the students to dry off when they entered. Professor McGonagall was there to help the younger students perform the drying spells. The Gryffindor boys took their Zonko and Honeyduke purchases up to Gryffindor Tower and waited for Remus in the dormitory. The storm outside was raging and it was almost time for the students to head down to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast. Still there was no sight of Remus.</p><p>About ten minutes before the boys were ready to head down, Remus burst through the door. “I hate Filch! Sorry I’m late.”</p><p>The boys made sure they had everything they needed before they headed down. They smiled as innocently as they could as they passed McGonagall who was standing outside the grand double doors. James and Sirius were flanking Peter so that he couldn’t give them away to McGonagall. The quartet sat down at the very end of the Gryffindor table, James and Sirius were on the outside and the other two had their backs to the Ravenclaw table. The Head of Gryffindor scowled at them as she made her way up the hall. She knew they were up to something.</p><p>“Remus, you’re sure this will work?” Sirius whispered across the table as he watched McGonagall’s back.</p><p>“Of course, it will work!” Remus scowled across the table. “Have I ever miscalculated?”</p><p>Sirius opened his mouth and then closed it again. “No, that was me and James. Never mind.”</p><p>The four boys watched Dumbledore very attentively as he shared his usual Halloween feast speech. They leaned forward as Dumbledore said he wouldn’t keep them from their treats any longer. He brought his hands together. The gold trays, platters, and plates on the tables vanished instead of filling with sweets. The professors at the head table looked around the room. McGonagall had her eyes trained on the four boys in the very back corner of the hall. She was about to stand up when there was a loud crack of thunder and all the light went out from the hall.</p><p>“Go! Go! Go!” Sirius whispered loudly. Shoving James out of his seat.</p><p>Students weren’t even trying to hide their confusion. People could hear the panic in some of the younger students’ voices. Anyone who was in the fourth year or older knew it had something to do with the Marauders and they waited anxiously to see what special ‘treat’ they had planned for this year’s Halloween. Suddenly music was playing from all around the hall even though it was still dark. A spotlight shone at the end of the Gryffindor table where Remus was standing in a white jumpsuit. The Ravenclaw table got a spotlight and James was up on that table, also in a white jumpsuit. Sirius was under the spotlight that shone on the Hufflepuff table. The Slytherin table was the last to get a spotlight at the end of the table, Peter was still clamoring onto the table when the light appeared. The four boys started to strut down the long house tables in time with the music.</p><p>“<em>You’re so hot, teasing me,</em>” Sirius was singing along to the music. “<em>So you’re blue but I can’t take a chance on a chick like you. It’s something I couldn’t do</em>.”</p><p>
  <em>There's that look in your eyes</em>
  <br/>
  <em>I can read in your face</em>
  <br/>
  <em>That your feelings are driving you wild</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Ah, but girl you're only a child</em>
</p><p>The boys kept moving on up the tables, their spotlights following them. The Slytherins were so baffled that they weren’t even trying to heckle Peter who was having a little more difficulty with the disco choreography than the other three were. As they went they began pointing their wands at students who flinched at first, scared of what type of prank this was. It turned out the Marauders had decided that the Halloween feast this year would feature a costume party.</p><p>
  <em>Well I can dance with you honey</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you think it's funny</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out?</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I can chat with you baby</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Flirt a little maybe</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out?</em>
</p><p>“<em>Take it easy</em>.” Sirius was getting towards the middle of the Hufflepuff table.</p><p>“<em>Take it easy</em>!” James, Remus, and Peter chorused.</p><p>
  <em>Better slow down girl</em>
  <br/>
  <em>That's no way to go</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know?</em>
</p><p>“<em>Take it easy</em>.” Sirius changed three fourth-year girls’ robes into butterfly costumes.</p><p>“<em>Take it easy!</em>” James, Remus, and Peter chorused.</p><p>
  <em>Try to cool it girl</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Take it nice and slow</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know?</em>
</p><p>Remus had reached the part of the table where Marlene, Lily, and Alice were sitting with Colin and Frank. He went down the row flicking his wand at each of them. Lily’s costume was a doe with face paint and ears and all. Colin was a hunter complete with a wool hunting cap. Frank’s robes transformed into a tree and Alice sprouted fairy wings out the back of her now pale green robes. Remus got to Marlene last. When he flicked his wand at her, her robes transformed into the clothes of a muggle rockstar with a tambourine and a black top hat. Remus pulled her up onto the table to dance with him.</p><p>Other students took the lead from Remus and were getting up to dance as their robes transformed into costumes. Meanwhile, Sirius had reached the end of the Hufflepuff table which strategically placed him directly in front of Professor McGonagall.</p><p>“<em>I can see what you want, but you seem pretty young to be searching for that kind of fun!</em>” Sirius was pointing at McGonagall, singing directly to her. “<em>So maybe I'm not the one.</em>”</p><p>The students at the front of the hall who could see what Sirius was doing couldn’t contain their laughter or excitement. Hagrid’s clothing erupted in smoke into a glittering dragon with a grand hat on top of his head that continued to spout smoke. Sirius flicked his wand in McGonagall’s direction and a pair of fuzzy cat ears replaced her green witch’s hat.</p><p>“<em>Now you're so cute, I like your style</em>.” Sirius grinned as McGonagall shouted at him to get down from the table immediately. “<em>And I know what you mean when you give me a flash of that smile</em>.”</p><p>“<em>Smile</em>!” James and Peter were at the tops of their table. Remus and Marlene were dashing up to the top of the Gryffindor table, albeit with a little more difficulty because Gryffindor house was rather enthusiastic about this impromptu concert.</p><p>“<em>But girl you're only a child</em>!” Sirius hopped off the table and ran up to the head table.</p><p>
  <em>Well I can dance with you honey</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you think it's funny</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I can chat with you baby</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Flirt a little maybe</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
</p><p>“<em>Take it easy!</em>” Sirius had reached McGonagall and was trying to get her to dance with him.</p><p>“<em>Take it easy!</em>” James flicked his wand at Dumbledore’s robes. Everyone who could see the front of the hall through the groups of students dancing were thrilled with Dumbledore’s costume. His robes had transformed into the ones the McGonagall had been wearing.</p><p>
  <em>Better slow down girl</em>
  <br/>
  <em>That's no way to go</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know?</em>
</p><p>“<em>Take it easy.</em>” Sirius desperately tried to hold in his laughter at Dumbledore’s costume but was having a poor time of it.</p><p>“<em>Take it easy!</em>” James, Remus, Marlene and Peter chorused.</p><p>
  <em>Try to cool it girl</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Take it nice and slow</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know?</em>
</p><p>Sirius gave up and offered his hand to Dumbledore. Inviting the McGonagall costumed headmaster to dance with him instead. The headmaster graciously accepted and let Sirius lead him in the disco dance.</p><p>
  <em>Well I can dance with you honey</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you think it's funny</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I can chat with you baby</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Flirt a little maybe</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
</p><p>Almost all of the students were up and dancing. Everyone was wearing costumes, much to the dismay of some of the older students and a large number of Slytherin students.</p><p>
  <em>Well I can dance with you honey</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you think it's funny</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I can chat with you baby</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Flirt a little maybe</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
</p><p>James, Remus, and Peter made their way to where Sirius was.</p><p>
  <em>Well I can dance with you honey</em>
  <br/>
  <em>If you think it's funny</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Does your mother know that you're out</em>
  <br/>
  <em>And I can chat with you baby</em>
</p><p>As Sirius twirled Dumbledore away at the last few beats of the music, the three boys came up beside him. They struck a pose together as the last beat of music played. The hall erupted into cheers and excitement. The boys looked over to Snape and were excited to see that he had on a rather impressive bat-like set of robes. Alice and Lily had come to stand with Marlene up at the front of the Gryffindor table and watched to see what would happen next.</p><p>The headmaster waited for the cheers to quiet down. He returned the podium at the front of the room. “It looks like this year’s Halloween feast has turned into a Halloween party!” Dumbledore waved his wand and the four house tables vanished. Tables appeared along the sides of the Great Hall filled with food and drink. Another flourish of the wand and ABBA’s Dancing Queen started to play. The students all continued to dance and cheer.</p><p>James caught sight of Lily in the corner with Marlene and Alice. There was no mistaking what her costume was. She was a doe. He whipped around and looked at Remus who shrugged his shoulders.</p><p>“I didn’t do it on purpose, Prongs!” Remus called over the noise. “If it’s any consolation, Colin is a hunter!”</p><p>Sirius had continued to dance with Dumbledore much to the displeasure of a number of female students. A girl in a ballerina costume cut in and Dumbledore returned to the other teachers. A few moments later he was seen pulling McGonagall out onto the dance floor. Everyone would remember the famous Halloween party of ’76, the Marauder trick that turned out to be a treat and they got away without a detention.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Quidditch Season</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Everyone woke up the next morning feeling tired but refreshed. For the OWL and NEWT students, the previous night had been a wonderful stress relief. Dumbledore had let the party last past midnight. Finally ending when the first- and second-years, hopped up on sugar, began to crash. The Marauders knew that this was definitely one for the books. Sirius was starting to see that there could be some fun in pranks that didn’t involve hexing Slytherins, Snape in particular. Not that he didn’t miss it, it just didn’t give him the same opportunity to meet pretty fifth-year girls.</p><p>There were only two topics that could be discussed at breakfast, the Halloween party the night before and the start of Quidditch season. The first Quidditch match would be the first Saturday of November, six days away. Gryffindor versus Slytherin, because there was no other way to open the Quidditch season. Sirius and James were at the center of attention since they had planned last night and they were on the Quidditch team. James was captain of the team this year.</p><p>“We’re going to pound Slytherin to a bloody pulp on Saturday,” Sirius was very excited in the team. James had drafted an amazing team. “The Quidditch Cup is already ours.”</p><p>Remus, Marlene, and Peter were sitting at the table already. James was a little surprised to see that Marlene had separated from her friends to sit with the Marauders for breakfast. Lily and Alice were sitting with a cluster of seventh-year students this morning. James slid into the seat next to Marlene and Sirius sat down opposite.</p><p>“Your prank last night was genius.” Marlene grinned at James. “How much trouble did McGonagall give you Black?”</p><p>“Minnie, thought it was wonderful and would never give me detention for professing my love for her.” Sirius buttered his toast.</p><p>“Is that so, Mr. Black?” Professor McGonagall was standing behind him in between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables.</p><p>Sirius dropped his knife and turned around just in time to see Professor McGonagall walking out of the hall. The students who had heard and seen the exchange snickered as they turned back to their breakfasts. The boy glared across the table at Marlene. “You could have warned me, McKinnon.”</p><p>“But I thought she loved you professing your love for her?” Marlene quirked an eyebrow. Remus, James, and Peter laughed at Sirius. Instead of retaliating with some witty remark he took a bite out of his toast.</p><p>Down the table Lily had Colin’s arm wrapped around her. She had had a wonderful time dancing with him last night. She was surprised at the amount of Muggle music that had been played, British and American. Even more impressive was the Marauders act as ABBA. They had been truly brilliant. Lily thought that Remus and Marlene made an absolutely adorable couple. She was surprised at how well Sirius had been behaving in the past week with Marlene spending more time with the boys. Despite the amount of work Lily had to do today she knew she’d do it with a smile on her face. She excused herself from the table, giving Colin a quick kiss on the cheek. Lily waved at Marlene and Remus as she passed by.</p><p>James watched the retreating back of the redhead. Marlene snapped her fingers in front of his face. “She has a boyfriend, Potter.”</p><p>“Yeah. I know.” James watched the girl who was a doe walk out the doors.</p><hr/><p>Lily, Remus, Marlene, and Alice were sitting at a table in the library. Each had a book of Runes translations in front of them, Together, they were working on a particularly challenging assignment. All of them were concentrating so hard that they didn’t realize that a group of students had come up to them.</p><p>“Isn’t this just a mishmash of magical mishap.” The snide remark came from a Slytherin girl flanked by another girl and three boys. Snape was among the group. “A Mudblood, two blood traitors, and some sort of beast.”</p><p>Lily rolled her eyes and ignored them. She didn’t even bother taking her eyes of the page she was reading. Alice tensed a little in her seat but didn’t comment. Remus snorted, “O for effort, T for creativity.”</p><p>“Quite the harem you’ve got here, Lupin. Tell me, have King and Evans put out for you like McKinnon?” Lily continued to ignore the comments. She pressed her foot down on Remus’s under the table. He glanced across the table at her and she mouthed ‘prefect.’ He scowled slightly and nodded though he would have rather hexed the Slytherin students. If James and Sirius had been there wands would already have been drawn.</p><p>“Oh no, not Evans. I can see the mutt sleeping with blood traitors but no one wants to touch a Mudblood.” Snape sneered at Remus. It wasn’t as easy to push his buttons as it was for Potter and Black but he knew it was only a matter of time.</p><p>“If you lot don’t take off, I’ll take points.” Lily’s voice sounded as disinterested and bored as ever.</p><p>Snape sneered at her this time, “Can’t take points away from another prefect, Mudblood.”</p><p>Marlene stood up, three strikes and Snape was out. “You greasy little git!” Marlene didn’t even pull her wand out. She dove at Snape and tackled him to the floor of the library. She landed a beautiful punch on the nose before Remus yanked her off of him.</p><p>“The blood traitor doesn’t even know how to use magic to hex someone.” The snarky Slytherin girl burst out laughing.</p><p>Lily had stood up when her friend tackled Snape. “Ten points from Slytherin, Nott. Get lost before I take more.”</p><p>Nott opened her mouth to say something as snarky as her last comment when Alice cut her off. “Silencio! Now slither off back to your hole.”</p><p>Snape, whose face was covered in blood, undoubtedly had a broken nose and slunk off. Nott followed him. The other three Slytherins stood for a moment longer then stalked off after them. Marlene watched them go. She glared at their backs until they turned the corner of one of the bookshelves. The blonde slumped back down into her seat seething.</p><p>“Happy hate week, ladies and gentlemen.” Alice muttered under her breath as she tried to find the page her book was open to before Marlene had knocked it off the table when she tackled Snape.</p><p>That week more students were sent to the hospital than any other time of the year. It was mostly younger students that got caught in the crossfire without the necessary skill to defend themselves. After a close call on Tuesday afternoon, James and Sirius made sure to travel together and always had the invisibility cloak in one of their bags. Sirius had decided to stop hating Marlene after he found out she’d punched Snape in the nose. James almost broke his promise to himself about hexing Snape when he found about the incident in the library on Sunday. Sirius vowed he’d avenge the sweet Lilyflower’s honour by hexing Snivellus for James. At breakfast on Monday, Sirius turned Snape’s hair bleach blond. No one was able to undo it until the following morning.</p><p>Lily kept out of the way for the week. Even though the entire school knew she was dating Colin they also knew the girl was a weakness for James. If the Slytherins did enough damage to her and set James on a rampage he would get into enough trouble to not be allowed to play the opening game. Not that Lily cared about Potter getting to play Quidditch or not, she didn’t fancy ending up in the hospital wing like she had in her fourth-year. Colin was equally concerned about his girlfriend’s safety. James had caught Lily flanked by three seventh-year boys on her way into breakfast on Tuesday morning.</p><p>Sirius chose to look at the positive side of things, “Look at it this way, James. At least you don’t have to try and protect her and yourself. It’s almost like you’ve hired Colin and his friends as her personal bodyguards.”</p><p>“Yeah, because Lily isn’t irritated that she can’t go anywhere alone right now?” Marlene was flipping through the Daily Prophet to see if there was any news worth sharing. Remus was reading over her shoulder and snatched the paper from her hands. On the second to last page, at the very bottom, was a small article about an attack near London. He passed the page around the group and they all glared across the room at the Slytherin table. Plenty of students had been affected by the war, it was noted that none of those students were in Slytherin.</p><p>“Why isn’t this on the front page?” Marlene whispered angrily. “People ought to know that things are getting worse.”</p><p>James thought he should write to his parents and see if they had any news they would share with him. He felt very cut off at school when the Prophet wouldn’t print real news. He was shaken out of his thoughts with a nudge from Sirius. Andrew Connors had taken a bat-bogey hex to the face. Lily Evans had been most unceremoniously shoved to the floor beside the Ravenclaw table. Sirius and Remus stood on the bench to get a better look of what was going on. Marlene blocked James from rushing to Lily’s side.</p><p>“I’ll go. Stay put before you risk our chances of winning on Saturday.” She looked at Sirius and yelled at him to sit down, he was making himself a target.</p><p>Marlene went to help Lily to her feet. Colin was kneeling down next to her looking at her cheek. Lily had a scratch from cheekbone to ear. It was shallow but she was bleeding all the same. Professor McGonagall appeared beside the students who’d taken hexes. She asked for Colin, Aiden, and Marlene to help her escort Lily and Andrew to the hospital wing to get checked out by Madam Pomfrey. Lily tried to refuse but McGonagall gave her a stern look and informed Lily that she did not have a choice in the matter.</p><p>As McGonagall escorted her students out, the hall began to buzz. A sixth-year Ravenclaw girl chucked a biscuit at the back of James’s head. The boy turned around to yell at the person who’d thrown food at him and was greeted by Emmeline Vance twisted around in her seat.</p><p>“It was Black. Thought you ought to know.” She spun back around to her friends and continued whatever conversation she was having. James knew Lily was friends with the Ravenclaw but what did Sirius have to do with Lily almost getting hexed?</p><p>Remus and Sirius gave James an inquisitive look. “Emmeline says it was you that sent that hex. But that doesn’t make any sense.”</p><p>A rather unattractive sneer formed on Sirius’s face. “She wasn’t talking about me. She was talking about the other Black.” Sirius pointed across the hall to where his younger brother was sitting amongst a group of sixth- and seventh-year boys. They were patting him on the back and congratulating him on his bold attempt.</p><p>“Save it for the pitch, mate.” James muttered.</p><p>“Thanks for the happy birthday, you little shit.” Sirius muttered as he glared across the hall at his little brother.</p><hr/><p>On Thursday night, Lily got up from her seat in the Common Room and made her way towards the portrait hole. Colin grabbed her wrist, Remus and Frank stepped in front of the portrait hole. This was the last straw. People had been attempting to throw hexes at her all week. Colin was by her side every moment he could possibly be without skiving off classes. She knew that Slytherins were goading James, her friends, and other members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Lily finally snapped. It was a true testament to how James had matured and stayed out of Lily’s way over the past two months because no one was prepared for the explosion that occurred that night in the Common Room.</p><p>“I am not a delicate flower! I am not a child! I am capable of defending myself against any bloody Slytherin that tries to hex me!” She screeched at Colin. She twirled around and yelled at Frank and Remus to get out of her bloody way. Neither of them would move. Frank was Colin’s soldier, Remus was James’s. Lily spun around a second time searching for Potter in the crowded Common Room. “Potter! Tell your dog to move out of my way! I don’t need you or your friends trying to protect me!”</p><p>James had his back to Lily and the portrait hole. He froze like a deer in headlights when she heard him yell his name in that tone. He glanced up across the table he was sharing with Sirius, sheer panic across his face.</p><p>“Hey! Remus isn’t James’s dog!” Sirius was now shouting too. “I am!”</p><p>James shook his head and looked at Sirius as if he was certifiably insane. This was not good. Not good at all. Lily hadn’t yelled at anyone since the incident by the lake last June. She had spent the last four and a half months letting anger boil deep within her and someone was going to get hurt. Probably physically. James figured if Marlene could throw a decent punch so could Lily. Sirius completely ignored all the signs James was giving him to run while he still could.</p><p>“So why aren’t you over here blocking the door then, Black?” Lily huffed. She had her wand in hand and sparks were flying from the end of it.</p><p>Sirius stormed across the room until he was a few feet away from Lily. The change in distance did not lower the volume level at which he was yelling. “Because I know you can bloody handle yourself. And because you’re snogging Colin NOT James. I’m not going to tell you where you can and cannot go!”</p><p>Lily glared at Sirius. “Fine then!” She turned back around and stormed out the portrait hole, slamming her shoulders straight into Frank and Remus.</p><p>“Thanks a lot, Black.” Colin muttered as he moved to follow her.</p><p>Sirius caught the older boy’s arm and shook his head, “If you know what’s good for you, you won’t follow her.” Sirius meant it with the best intentions. Too many times he’d been on the receiving end of her hexes, not as often as James, but often enough,</p><p>Remus followed Sirius over to the table. They sat down and look at James. “Would one of you please go get the map and make sure she doesn’t kill a Slytherin on her way to the library or wherever it is she’s going?”</p><p>Sirius grinned and pulled the map out his bag. He had thought that carrying it around was a good idea this week. Best way to avoid pesky Slytherins was to know where they were planning to ambush you. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.”</p><p>The boys scanned the parchment around the Gryffindor Tower. Lily couldn’t be too far away from the Common Room yet. Remus spotted her footsteps going down the stairs towards the fifth floor. “I think she’s headed to the prefects’ bathroom. Yes, that’s definitely where she is headed.”</p><p>“If you ask nicely, Prongs, I’ll take the invisibility cloak and go sit outside the bathroom as a guard.” Sirius whispered to him. Concern was etched into James’s face. A pleading look was all Sirius needed. Sirius handed the map to James and transferred the cloak from James’s bag to his.</p><p>Marlene was sitting with Alice by the fire and she watched the three Marauders at the table. They didn’t look like they were scheming. Marlene nudged Alice as Sirius picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. The boy winked at Colin as he made his way out of the Common Room. James continued going over his Quidditch plays while Remus fiddled with an old piece of parchment on the table.</p><p>“What do you think that was about?” Alice was as confused as Marlene. The two girls became more interested in watching James and Remus than finishing their Potions essays. A quarter of an hour later James pulled out a mirror from his pocket. He held close to his face and started whispering. Remus pointed something out on the parchment to James. The two boys looked like they were about to have an aneurysm. James and Remus started to talk in heated whispers. Remus pointed to something else on the map and James started talking into the mirror again. They still looked concerned but it was more of ‘someone is in trouble’ instead of ‘someone is about to die.’</p><p>“Think we should go find out what they’re up to?” Alice asked as she watched James ruffle up his hair.</p><p>“Nope. I plan on staying far away from anything that involve those boys until after the game. No need for us to get caught up in whatever nonsense they have planned.”</p><p>Lily returned to the Common Room just before curfew. She didn’t say goodnight to Colin or her friends. She went directly up to the dormitory and the curtains were closed around her four-poster bed when Alice and Marlene went up to bed. Sirius showed up not long after Lily returned. Colin and his friends gave Sirius dirty looks before making their way up to their own dormitory. The Marauder slumped down into a chair next to Remus and James. “You’re lucky you’re my brother, James.”</p><hr/><p>Saturday dawned bright and early. The sky was clear and there was a wonderful crispness in the air. The students of Hogwarts made their way down to the Quidditch pitch. There was plenty of chatter among the students and excitement buzzed in the air like a swarm of bees. James led his team down to the pitch with plenty of Gryffindors flanking the team. No one would put it past the Slytherins to pull a dirty trick at the last minute. There were some older Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw students that stuck close to the Gryffindor team, showing who they would be cheering for in the game.</p><p>The students left the team in McGonagall’s capable hands at the Gryffindor team’s locker room. James stood beside the head of house as his teammates filed past them. He saluted McGonagall. The barest hint of a smile graced her lips. She gave him a curt nod and left to go find her seat in the stands.</p><p>“Alright. We’ve spent the past month and half preparing to crush Slytherin. Today is our day. We haven’t spent the past week dodging hexes and spending an extra ten minutes getting to class to lose to this lot.” James was proud of the team he had put together this year. He had spent every day since finding out he was going to be Quidditch Captain thinking of plays and going over them in his head. “This game isn’t about our team or their team. Today’s game is about all the first- and second-years that were sent to the hospital wing because the Slytherins are bullies. Today is about not being able to walk anywhere alone all week because you knew that they would take a cheap shot to foul our chances. This is for the entire house of Gryffindor. Let’s go out there and show them who the real kings and queens of Hogwarts are!”</p><p>Sirius clapped James on the back as they made their way out of the locker room. “Does this mean we’re kings, Prongs?”</p><p>James grinned and slapped Sirius back in response. “We’re going to party like kings tonight.”</p><p>It was an absolutely brutal game. The Slytherins stopped at nothing. They threw foul after foul at the Gryffindor players. Madam Hooch was getting more and more furious, but there seemed to be no end in sight. Despite it being such a clear day, the snitch continued to evade both seekers. The Gryffindor team was up by 30 points, 80-50. James took a bludger hard to the back. Sirius flew up beside him and asked if he was okay. James waved him off and told him to prevent Regulus from getting the snitch at all costs.</p><p>Sirius grinned, “With pleasure.” He walloped a the next bludger that came at him right at Regulus’s head. The younger Black stayed conscious long enough to get to the ground below. Madam Hooch blew her whistle for a time out while Regulus was lifted onto a stretcher and sent up to the hospital wing and a reserve seeker was called up for the Slytherins.</p><p>“Padfoot, that’s not what I meant!” James cried exasperated. He was rubbing the tender spot on his back where he’d been hit by the bludger. He was going to have a mighty bruise there in the morning.</p><p>“Maybe I knocked some sense into that thick skull of his!” Sirius muttered as he flew off to do a loop around the pitch.</p><p>As the game started again, the older Gryffindor students were high up in the stands. Lily was sandwiched between Colin and Alice. Remus, Marlene and Peter were sitting in front of her. To the surprise of many people, Lily loved watching Quidditch. The only reason she had never tried to play was because she was a terrible flier. They all cheered as Ralphs, a fifth-year on the Gryffindor team scored another goal for them.</p><p>Someone sat down behind Lily and leaned forward. “Cheering for Potty, Evans?”</p><p>“Well I’m certainly not cheering for your team of cheaters, am I, Nott?” Lily sneered as she turned around to face the sixth-year girl. Snape and another girl were sitting with her. The other Gryffindors could sense trouble and turned around. As soon as the seven Gryffindors turned around the crowd gasped. They whipped their head back around to the pitch where Sirius was speeding towards a body that was falling towards the ground. Sirius caught an arm and pulled up on his broom with all his might. The boy lost control of his broomstick fifteen feet above the ground as he tried to pull James’s unconscious body onto his broomstick. Both boys fell the fifteen feet to the ground. The students in the stands were on their feet.</p><p>The Gryffindors in the stands were calling for the Slytherins to forfeit the game. They were terrified they had just lost their two veteran and experienced players. James was still unconscious but Sirius stood up and ran to where James was lying on the field. Madam Hooch had called another time out. Professor McGonagall was running on to the field.</p><p>“What happened?” Marlene shouted to the people around her in the stands.</p><p>“One of the Slytherin beaters smashed him on the head with a bat!” A fourth-year called out from a couple rows away.</p><p>Sirius was clearly arguing with Madam Hooch on the field. Professor McGonagall was guiding the stretcher with James’s body on it off the pitch. The Gryffindor team gathered around Sirius as a little third-year girl, the reserve chaser, joined the team on the pitch.</p><p>“I guess McKinnon is shagging all three,” Nott sneered. “I owe you five Galleons, Severus.”</p><p>Marlene screeched as she tried to clamor over Lily to get to Helena Nott. Remus yanked her back. Frank wasn’t quick enough to grab Alice as she climbed over the seat and tackled the vicious girl. “You stupid bitch!” Everyone around them was shell-shocked. No one had ever seen the sweet little Alice King like this. Frank and Colin managed to separate the two girls. At this point no one was paying attention to what was going on down on the pitch.</p><p>“That’s twenty points from Gryffindor, King.” Snape smirked when things had calmed down.</p><p>The week had been too much for Lily and she was sick and tired of boys. “Hey Severus, prefects can’t take points away from prefects, right?”</p><p>Snape leered at Lily. She was over the seat so fast if you blinked you would have missed it. She slammed her curled up fist into Snape’s face. His face spurted blood for the second time that week. Another broken nose. Someone yelled. Everyone watched as the Gryffindor seeker dove towards the ground. People held their breath and screamed when he pulled up on his broom, snitch held high above his head. The Gryffindor team swarmed him when they landed on the ground.</p><p>“AND GRYFFINDOR WIN! 250-80!”</p><p>Remus, Peter, and Marlene went with the Gryffindor team to check on James in the hospital wing. They all returned to the Common Room annoyed that Madam Pomfrey wouldn’t let any them in. The only exception was Sirius who stayed with an unconscious James for almost two hours before returning to Gryffindor Tower. The party was in full swing thanks to Remus and Peter. Alice was dancing with Frank, who looked at Alice like she was the most amazing thing in the world. He had doubted her abilities to be an auror in September but after the spectacle today he knew better. Colin was hanging around his group of seventh-year friends. Lily was nowhere in sight.</p><p>A second round of cheers rang through the tower as Sirius entered through the portrait hole. He was quickly surrounded by friends and fans alike. Someone put a drink in his hand. The cute fifth-year he’d been snogging that week appeared at his side and gave him a kiss. “Turn the music up!” Sirius shouted before giving her another kiss.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Charmed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sirius was visiting James in the hospital wing Sunday evening. James insisted that he was fine but Madam Pomfrey wasn’t going to let him leave. She wanted to monitor him for another day or so. At least this meant that he didn’t have to go to any classes tomorrow, Sirius reminded him. A couple beds away curtains had been drawn around a bed. Madam Pomfrey appeared through them and made her way towards James and Sirius.</p><p>“Better say your goodnights, Mr. Black.” She said pointedly as she made her way back to her office for whatever nasty potion she was going to make James drink.</p><p>“Ten more minutes, Poppy. Please?” Sirius pleaded with the matron. She called out that he could have five more minutes with James.</p><p>Sirius settled back into his seat and looked at the curtains. His heart ached. He hoped he had broken Regulus’s little head. All he had wanted to do was knock a little sense into the boy. Maybe he should go and check on him. Just to make sure he wasn’t dead. The person on the other side of the curtain coughed. Well, he’s not dead so I don’t need to check on him, thought Sirius.<br/>James recognized that Sirius was feeling guilty about hitting Regulus so hard with the bludger. “What happened to Snivellus? He was in here with a broken nose again. Poppy let him leave this morning.”</p><p>“Wasn’t me, mate,” Sirius grinned though. McKinnon was really starting to grow on him. “I’ll find out and report back tomorrow. Sleep tight, Jamesie.”</p><p>The boy in the bed shoved Sirius away as he moved in to kiss his forehead, “Sod off, Padfoot!”</p><p>When Sirius returned to the Common Room he spotted Marlene and Remus sitting together on a couch. He walked over to join them and stuck out his fist. “Thank you for the best birthday present, McKinnon. Even if it was a few days late.”</p><p>Marlene looked up at Sirius confused. She had no idea what this present from her was or why he was sticking his fist out. Remus solved the second part for her. He balled her hand into a fist and bumped it against Sirius’s. This didn’t clear up what Sirius meant by giving him a birthday present.</p><p>“You broke Snivelly’s nose. Twice!” Sirius was so excited by this he held out his fist again.</p><p>The blonde slowly bumped his fist. “I only punched him the once at the beginning of last week. What are you talking about?”</p><p>“James just told me Snivellus was in the hospital wing overnight because someone broke his nose, again.” Sirius wanted to know who had done it.</p><p>It donned on Remus that no one had told him about the fight in the stands during the match yesterday. “That was Lily. And Alice tried to bludgeon Helena Nott.”</p><p>“Lily Evans broke Snape’s nose?” Sirius stood there and looked at Remus in disbelief. For some reason, the Alice-Helena incident didn’t surprise him. He looked around the Common Room for the redhead but she wasn’t there. He stalked over to Colin and Aiden who were sitting near a window. “Smith. Where’s you girl at?”</p><p>Colin looked up at Sirius disdainfully. “She got a letter a little while ago and went to read it in private.”</p><hr/><p>Madam Pomfrey held James hostage in the hospital wing the next day too. Sirius was unhappy about sitting next to Peter that morning in Charms instead of James. It annoyed him even more because McKinnon had stolen Pete’s original partner. Professor Flitwick tottered in and asked the students to settle down. Today’s lesson would be on the Patronus Charm. Sirius had a feeling that Peter was going to set him on fire at some point over the next hour.</p><p>Charms almost always went the same way. Flitwick would ask if they had done the reading. He’d ask a few questions about the readings, Lily would answer almost all of them and earn a decent number of points for Gryffindor. Sirius usually got caught sending notes to his friends about how annoying Lily was during Charms. Flitwick would lecture for a while and then set them to working on their task. Lily almost always got the charm on the first try and Flitwick almost always gave her a ton of points for it. She’d send Sirius a dirty look as he imitated her across the room. She’d glare at James for staring at her. Today, however, was a different story.</p><p>“The most important thing to remember about casting the Patronus Charm is you need an exceptionally happy memory!” Flitwick squeaked from his perch at the front of the room. He toddled down and began circulating about the room correcting wand movement and pronunciation.</p><p>Most of the students were able to come up with wisps of silvery light. No one had yet cast a corporeal patronus. To everyone’s surprise, Lily was not the first student to cast one. She had managed strong silver clouds but not a full patronus. It was even more of a surprise to the students that Remus was not the student to do it either.</p><p>“Whoa! Sirius!” Peter squealed from next to his friend. “You did it!”</p><p>A large silver dog was jumping around Sirius. He was just as shocked as the rest of the students that he had beaten not just Lily Evans but also Remus Lupin to this advanced bit of magic.</p><p>“Oh, well done, Mr. Black! Well done!” Flitwick was beaming. “Twenty points to Gryffindor!”</p><p>Lily glared at Sirius across the room. He smirked and flicked his silver dog at her. She ignored the dog that bounded towards her. Her eyes caught Snape’s. He sneered at her and dropped his gaze. Lily remembered how good she had felt after punching him in the nose over the weekend. She swished her wand through the air and said the incantation, holding onto the euphoria from Saturday afternoon. A beautiful doe sprang forth from her wand. She didn’t even acknowledge Flitwick’s praise. Lily turned and stuck her tongue out at Sirius.</p><p>The silver dog chased the doe around the room. Students laughed and pointed at the patronuses. Lily and Sirius continued to practice the charm as the animals disappeared. A Hufflepuff girl named Rachel Moss was the next to conjure a corporeal patronus. A gazelle was now dashing about the room with the doe, the silver dog unsure of which to chase. Marlene leaned over from her seat next to Remus and asked Lily what had been her happy thought.</p><p>“Punching Snape felt really good.” Lily whispered across the divide between their seats. Marlene grinned in awe and concentrated hard. A large silver cloud hovered in front of her. It was much stronger than the wisps she had been producing earlier. Remus patted her on the back and encouraged her.</p><p>No one else was able to produce a corporeal patronus during the lesson. Flitwick informed his students not to let this discourage them. Producing an uncorporeal patronus was challenging enough and that this was advanced magic. He was proud of them for being able to produce even a wisp. The bell rang and the students filed out of the class. The Hufflepuff students were chatting about how excited they were that Dorcas had been able to produce a corporeal patronus.</p><p>Alice and Marlene were ribbing Lily about how the happy memory she used to produce a corporeal patronus was punching Snape in the face. The redhead blushed to the roots of her hair. She wasn’t proud that she had resulted to physical violence but she couldn’t deny how good it felt. Especially after the sneer he had given her in class. It was good to know that more came out of punching him in the face than him getting a broken nose.</p><p>“How did you do that, Padfoot!” Peter was super excited about Sirius’s patronus. “I could barely get silver light.”</p><p>“What memory were you using?” Remus asked thoughtfully.</p><p>Sirius turned to his tall friend with a glimmer of happiness on his face. “When I showed up at James’s house this summer. Mrs. Potter accepted me as her son when I ran away from home.”</p><hr/><p>It was three in the morning on Thursday. James had returned to Gryffindor Tower that night after finally being cleared by Madam Pomfrey. Instead of spending the evening catching up on schoolwork like they should have been. The Marauders had turned in very early for the night, much to the surprise of the other students. Everyone decided they ought to steer clear of the four boys and the Slytherins for a while. A prank was certainly called for after James had his head smashed in by the beater at the Quidditch game. Remus had finally turned the light out little over half an hour ago. He was on the precipice of sleep when someone woke him up with a shout.</p><p>“Bloody hell!” Sirius sat bolt upright in his bed and threw a pillow at James.</p><p>“Padfoot!” Remus growled. Thursday was a long day for Remus and he desperately wanted to sleep.</p><p>“Prongs! You’ll never guess what Lily’s patronus took the form of on Monday morning!” Sirius was practically bouncing out of bed in excitement.</p><p>Peter groaned in annoyance. This was going to be a stay up all-night conversation. He just knew it. “Can’t we talk about this in the morning?”</p><p>Remus growled for them to go to bed again. Sirius flicked the light on, “Wolf boy this is important!”</p><p>James was shouting at Sirius to bloody spill the beans or he was going to go to bed. Peter shouted that he wanted to go to sleep. Remus shouted at Sirius, “Padfoot! Now is not the time! Go to bed!” The lights flickered out again. Sirius flicked the lights back on again and disarmed Remus. The boy on the clean side of the room glared across the room at Sirius.</p><p>Sirius shouted at James, “Lily’s patronus is a doe!” Remus tackled Sirius out of bed trying to get his wand back. Both wands were laying forgotten as they wrestled on the floor in between the beds. Peter crawled out from under his covers to watch from the end of his bed. Remus managed to pin Sirius for all of two seconds before Sirius started to tickle him. The taller of the two exclaimed that Sirius was cheating and that there was no tickling in wrestling. The boys stopped as silver light filled the room. Standing at the center of the room was a majestic silver stag. Peter’s mouth dropped. Remus took the opportunity to snatch his wand and climb back into his bed. Sirius sat on the floor and looked up at James who looked just as shocked as Peter.</p><p>“Lily’s my soulmate.” James just continued to sit there dazed as Remus flicked the light out for the last time that night.</p><hr/><p>Remus almost fell asleep in History of Magic the next day. It was probably the smallest assortment of students he’d ever seen. A total of six students elected to continue with the NEWT class. Remus was the only Gryffindor. He was accompanied by four Ravenclaws and a Hufflepuff student. Professor Binns was droning on about some uprising in the mid-thirteenth century. No one was really paying attention. At numerous times throughout the term they had all questioned why they were still taking this class. The ghost continued to drone on even after the bell. The students packed up their belongings as quick as they could and vanished from the room. He dumped his belongings in the dormitory. All he wanted was a nap. Remus curled up on his bed and closed his eyes. He would just take a quick nap before dinner.</p><p>James and Sirius were sitting at dinner looking around for Remus. Marlene came over at one point and asked them what they had done with him. Peter continued to stuff his face as if one of his best friends wasn’t missing. The girl muttered something to James about sending the dog to go and find him. James nearly choked on his food as Marlene stomped off to where Lily and Alice were sitting.</p><p>“I think she means Padfoot’s patronus, Prongs.” Peter commented between bites. “Not the other dog.”</p><p>Sirius had to explain to James that he had cast a corporeal patronus in Charms on Monday morning. Peter interjected that he had managed to do so before Evans could. James asked what made him so happy that he had beaten Lily to the punch. Peter giggled at James’s choice of words. Sirius had to explain that Peter was giggling because Remus had told them that Marlene had told him that Lily had said the happy memory that had helped her to conjure the doe was punching Snape in the face. James looked down the table awestruck. She wasn’t doing much to prove she wasn’t his soulmate.</p><p>“Anyways, I thought about how warm your mum was to me when I ran away this summer and I don’t think I had ever been happier in my life.” Sirius was a little bashful when he looked at James. It was little uncharacteristic for Sirius but he couldn’t help but be a little embarrassed at his situation. James ignored Sirius’s discomfort and crushed him in a bear hug.</p><p>“I’m glad you’re my brother, mate.” James said as he let go. “Wouldn’t want to wreak havoc with anyone else.”</p><hr/><p>Gryffindor house was disappointed that there was no immediate retaliation from the Marauders for the Quidditch match. This only emboldened the Slytherins, who took every opportunity to do something nasty to the Gryffindors. Midway through November, revenge finally came. The entirety of Slytherin was present for dinner on a Friday evening. Two weeks after the Quidditch match. Tomorrow morning the Hufflepuffs would play Ravenclaw. Midway through the meal a loud noise echoed through the Great Hall. Every head turned to look at the Slytherins who were covered in a thick green slime.</p><p>The Gryffindor table didn’t even try to contain their laughter. Some Ravenclaws and Hufflepuff joined in the laughter but not all of them. Well not all the Gryffindors were laughing. There was one person sitting at the table who wasn’t. Lily Evans was looking up and down the table for where the Marauders were sitting. They were sitting a good bit away, laughing. They had perfected the innocent look early on in their Hogwarts careers. They knew that if McGonagall didn’t have solid evidence that they had done something the only way she knew it was them was if they gave themselves away by looking guilty.</p><p>Professor McGonagall caught the four boys in the entrance hall as they were trying to sneak away at the end of dinner. “Which of you would like to explain?”</p><p>The boys blinked at her. Sirius spoke first, “Explain what, professor?”</p><p>“What Sirius is trying to say is, we are unsure of what you would like for us to explain, professor. We are currently on our way back to the Common Room to work on the Transfiguration essay that you set for us this week.” Remus smiled pleasantly at McGonagall.</p><p>“Mr. Lupin, I am not asking you to explain where you are going.” McGonagall was more than peeved at this point. Numerous students were milling around in the entrance hall, the grand stairs, and the mezzanine above. “I am asking why you think it is appropriate to douse the Slytherin House in slime.”</p><p>Remus pulled the most prefect look he could muster. “I do not think it is appropriate, Professor McGonagall. I must admit that I thought it was rather funny though. I think that James, Sirius, and Peter also found it humorous.”</p><p>“Mr. Lupin, did you slime the Slytherin students?” Professor McGonagall was tired of these shenanigans.</p><p>“No, professor.” Remus didn’t even bat an eyelash. With a final reproving look, Professor McGonagall huffed and entered the staff room.</p><p>The Marauders bolted up the stairs and off to the Common Room. For one, McGonagall was likely to realize her error when she asked Remus if he had slimed the Slytherin students. For two, none of them fancied having the Slytherin students retaliate so quickly. They were hooting and hollering as they sprinted down the fifth-floor corridor. Peeves was jamming gum in a lock when they ran by him. He straightened and saluted the mischief makers. The poltergeist didn’t always cooperate with the Marauders but he admired their capacity to cause mischief and wreak havoc.</p><p>They were only a little winded when they reached the Fat Lady’s portrait. James greeted her and murmured the password. The four boys tumbled into the Common Room to cheers from the students who had returned after dinner. No sooner had they slumped down in front of the fire did their victorious revenge end. A fiery redhead rounded on them, cornering them in the space between her and the fire.</p><p>“I almost believed Alice and Marlene about you but I was right, wasn’t I?” Lily’s eyes were blazing. “Never content to just behave yourself and stop bullying students?”</p><p>Sirius stood up and stepped in front of Lily. “Now Lilyflower, we had to do it. We had to defend James’s honour as it were, you saw what they did to him on the pitch.”</p><p>“And you! Always strutting around the castle like a bloody peacock!” Lily spat at him. Remus stood up and pulled Sirius back. “Maybe if Remus did his bloody job and behaved like the prefect he’s supposed to be.”</p><p>“Now hold up! Remus didn’t slime the Slytherins. That was me and James!” Sirius tugged his arm out of Remus’s grip. “And you’re not one to talk about being a good role model! Do you hear yourself? You’re screaming at the top of your lungs and spouting foul language in front of the younger students. And to cap it all off you punched a Slytherin prefect in the face and broke his nose at the Quidditch match. Get off your high horse!”</p><p>Before Lily could open her mouth to retaliate, the sound of cannon fire filled the air in the Common Room. The two seventh-year prefects, flanked by the Head Girl had their wands raised in the air. “That is enough. The lot of you should be ashamed of yourselves.”</p><p>Audrey Davies, Head Girl and seventh-year Gryffindor, stepped into the ring. A talented witch in her own right, she was in no mood to deal with a Lily-Marauders showdown tonight. “Ruth, escort Lily up to the girls’ dormitory. Potter, Black, you’re coming with me. And to top it all off twenty points from Gryffindor.” The room groaned at the sound of the Head Girl taking points from her own house.</p><p>Davies, along with the male prefect, escorted James and Sirius down to Professor McGonagall’s office. She glared at the two of them as she knocked on the door. The Transfiguration professor was shocked, annoyed, confused, and entirely unsurprised to see the assortment of student standing in front of her. Audrey explained the incident in the Common Room to Professor McGonagall. The Head Girl and prefect were dismissed and the two Marauders filed into McGonagall’s office.</p><p>“Should Mr. Lupin and Mr. Pettigrew not also be standing before me?” McGonagall asked them shrewdly, “After all Mr. Lupin did lie to me when I asked if he had slimed the Slytherin students.”</p><p>“But professor, Remus didn’t lie,” James raised his head and looked her in the face. “You asked him specifically if he himself had slimed the Slytherin students, and he didn’t. So, it wasn’t a lie. He told you the truth.”</p><p>“Mr. Potter,” There was warning in her voice against impertinence. She continued to eye both of them, waiting for one of them to speak.</p><p>“James is telling the truth, Professor McGonagall.” Sirius hoped James didn’t hate him too much after this. “James and I are the ones who pranked the Slytherins.”</p><p>“Mr. Black, are you telling me that Mr. Lupin had nothing to do with your prank?” McGonagall pitched a black eyebrow up inquisitively. James opened his mouth to answer and she cut him off,<br/>“The truth only Mr. Potter.”</p><p>James closed his mouth and grimaced. She had asked the right question this time and there was really no way around it. He or Sirius could try to think of a plausible way in which Remus was involved that didn’t directly break the rules or they could tell McGonagall the truth. The third option was to not say anything although this still incriminated their friend. Sirius was quiet for a moment and then he had an idea that solved the problem.</p><p>“Remus informed us of the magic that we used to produce the slime but I don’t think his intentions were for it to be used on the Slytherin students. It was a late-night conversation in our dormitory that I think was a more hypothetical scenario of if we ever wanted to use slime. I don’t believe Remus thought we meant to use it on such a large scale.”</p><p>McGonagall drummed her fingers on the desk as she looked at Sirius. She spent a few minutes contemplating what the boy had said to see if she could find a hole in it. “You’ll both serve detentions tomorrow night with Mr. Filch. He will appreciate the assistance in scrubbing out the cauldrons in the Potions classrooms.”</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Thin Ice and Firewhiskey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>November blurred into December and winter descended onto the castle. The grounds were covered in snow before November ended. On December first, the Hogwarts staff began putting up the Christmas decorations and excitement spread throughout the castle. Younger students in anticipation for Christmas, older students in anticipation for a much needed break from classes. The temperature dropped dramatically during the second week of December that the Black Lake froze over. Many students spent their weekend out in the snow and their nights by the warm fires in their common rooms.</p><p>Lily was sitting by the window in the Common Room on Saturday night with two Charms books opened in front of her. It was late in the afternoon and darkness had begun to settle over the snowy grounds. Every so often she would look out the window at the students playing in the snow. Alice and Marlene had gone out to have a snowball fight with the Marauders. They had invited Lily to join them but she told them she’d rather go for a swim with the Giant Squid. Lily had spotted them easily from the tower. She looked out the window at just the right moment to see Alice tackle Sirius into the snow and steal the flag from James, Sirius, and Peter’s ‘fort’.</p><p>“Hey, Lily,” Colin sat down opposite her and smiled. “Want to go for a walk?”</p><p>Lily shook her head without looking up. “I need to finish this for Charms.”</p><p>Colin closed one of the Charms books which made Lily look up at him mildly irritated. “C’mon, Lily. You need a break. Let’s go for a short walk.”</p><p>“I really can’t, Colin. I need to focus on this assignment.” Lily opened the book up again and tried to find the page she had been reading.</p><p>Her boyfriend dropped his voice to a whisper. “I thought we could go for more than just a walk, Lil. It’s been a while since we’ve had a good snog.”</p><p>Lily stopped and looked up at him. “Colin, I need to finish this.”</p><p>“So, I’m too much of a distraction for you.” Colin whispered harshly. “But Potter playing around in the snow outside isn’t?”</p><p>“What on earth are you talking about?” Lily whispered back while trying to keep her composure.</p><p>“You’ve been watching him out the window all afternoon. And as soon as I want to take you for a walk you all of sudden need to focus on your Charms reading.” Colin muttered darkly. There was no missing the jealousy in his voice.</p><p>Lily stared at him dumbfounded. “I’ve been working on Charms all afternoon. Don’t be ridiculous, Colin.”</p><p>“Oh, come off it, Lily. Everyone can see you have feelings for the boy.” Colin’s voice was raising above a whisper and other students were trying to subtly watch the couple.</p><p>“Potter? You think I have feelings for Potter?” Lily was in utter disbelief. “How daft can you be?”</p><p>Colin sputtered at this. “I’m not daft. Have you seen the way you act around him? Or when people mention his name? Or when someone mentions something that could remotely relate to him? You’re obsessed with the boy. I bet if he asked you to go snog you wouldn’t tell him you wanted to finish reading for Charms.” The boy wasn’t shouting but his voice was raised enough that people nearby could hear their conversation.</p><p>“I am not obsessed with James Potter. How dare you.” Lily wasn’t even trying to keep her voice down now. Fire was coursing through her.</p><p>The students in the half full Common Room weren’t even trying to hide the fact that they were watching the couple. The portrait hole opened and a group of students walked in and stopped in the doorway. Lily looked up to see who had just come in. Her green eyes met James Potter’s hazel eyes. She wasn’t obsessed with him. She didn’t even like him. Colin turned around to see what she was looking at and snarled.</p><p>“See what I mean! The moment he walks through the bloody portrait hole your eyes are on him!” Colin whipped back around to Lily, his pretty face contorted into an unattractive sneer. “Go snog him, Lily, because I’m certainly never going to snog you again.”</p><p>The boy knocked over his chair as he stormed off. Lily blinked tears out of her eyes. She grabbed her books and walked as quickly as she could to the dormitory door. Her friends watched from the portrait hole. To them everything felt like slow motion. Marlene and Sirius looked ready to kill and Alice looked extremely upset. James was dumbfounded. Remus was the first person to move into action. Without thinking he was running towards the girls’ dormitory door. He barged through the door and heard something slam at the top. The boy made it up the first six stairs before they flattened into a slide and he slid down to the bottom where five students were waiting.</p><p>“We’ll go, Remus.” Alice’s voice was barely above a whisper. As soon as the stairs reappeared she was climbing them quickly. “Marlene!”</p><p>The blonde hadn’t moved from the bottom of the stairs. She was furious. Even though there was the part of her that knew in order for Lily and James to get together she needed to break up with Colin, he had been a right arse. Marlene turned and bumped into Sirius, who was standing behind her with James.</p><p>“Let us take care of Smith. Go with Alice.” Sirius looked as murderous as Marlene did. She nodded to him and followed Alice up to their dormitory.</p><p>Marlene cautiously opened the door to the dormitory. Nothing seemed out of place. Nothing was broken. No one was there. Alice and Marlene looked around the room. They checked the wardrobes and under the beds. Alice sat down on her bed confused.</p><p>“Either Lily has gotten freakishly good at human transfiguration or she’s not here.” Marlene looked at Alice reproachfully. The brunette shrugged in response. “Do you have another explanation?”</p><p>What neither girl had noticed when they entered the room was that Lily was standing behind the door. She had slipped out when they walked in to look for her. Lily wasn’t in much of a talking mood at the moment. Actually, she was not in a behave yourself mood either. Marlene hadn’t noticed that her trunk wasn’t all the way closed. Lily had taken the bottle of firewhiskey Marlene kept at the bottom of her trunk. She kept her head down as she slipped out the portrait hole.</p><p>The Marauders were sitting at a table in the darkest corner of the Common Room. More than a few students were on edge with their presence. The seventh-year boys had taken the best seats by the fire, Colin included. Sirius and James were having a stare down with them. Remus was sitting at the right angle to see a flash of red dash down the hall to the portrait hole. He didn’t mention to the boys that he saw Lily leaving Gryffindor Tower. Alice and Marlene weren’t with her so he assumed she didn’t want to talk with anyone. A moment later Marlene and Alice came out of the stairway. They looked over to the Marauders and then to the area around the fire. Both girls frowned.</p><p>Alice was staring at Frank who was sitting with Colin and his other year-mates. Albeit he was sitting on the edge of the group and was as far away from Colin as he could get without being outcast from the group. Alice didn’t feel comfortable going and sitting with him, she’d really liked Frank but she wasn’t going to put him above Lily. Marlene wanted to go and sit with Remus but she was pretty sure if she sat down anywhere near Sirius and James right now Colin would die a painful death. They chose a seat close enough to the boys where they could monitor any stupidity that might emerge but not close enough where they would immediately be drawn into a fight.</p><p>Audrey Davies sat down with her own group of friends at one of the larger tables. The tension in the room only heightened. People were only waiting to see who would be the one to light the fuse. Remus decided that the presence of the Head Girl was enough to keep Sirius and James in line for the time being. Remus leaned over and whispered something the Sirius. The boy looked annoyed with Remus but waved him off.</p><p>Alice nudged Marlene. “I wonder what he’s up to.” Remus had quietly walked over to Audrey Davies and murmured something that only the group of girls that were sitting with could hear. The older girl nodded her head and sent a look towards the Marauders and an equally severe look to her male year-mates. Remus walked in the direction of his dormitory. He came back five minutes later with his prefect’s badge pinned to his chest.</p><p>“He didn’t tell me that he was patrolling tonight?” Marlene muttered to Alice.</p><p>“Maybe Lily was supposed to and he’s covering for her?” Alice blushed when Frank caught her eyes. He gave her an apologetic look and a little shrug of his shoulders, telling her that he was sorry and he didn’t know what to do about it.</p><p>“They patrol together though, that doesn’t make sense either.” Marlene was a little annoyed with her boyfriend’s secrecy.</p><hr/><p>“Do you come here often?” Remus sat down next to Lily on the outer platform of the Astronomy tower.</p><p>Lily turned to look at him. Her cheeks were flushed from the whiskey and tear stains streaked her face. She had her legs stretched out in front of her and her arms behind her to hold her up. Lily took another swig from the bottle and passed it to Remus. “How’d you find me?”</p><p>“Do you really want me to share that secret?” Remus laughed at the face she pulled. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want answers to.”</p><p>Lily turned her head and looked him dead in the eye. “Why did you find me?”</p><p>“Now that is an easy one to answer. McGonagall told you we need to support each other.” Remus took a drink from the bottle. Lily reached out her hand to take it back. Instead of handing it back to her Remus set it down on the opposite side of his body. They sat in silence, looking up at the stars for. “Do you want to talk about it, Lily?</p><p>The tears welled in her eyes and rolled slowly down her cheeks. Remus wrapped his arms around her and let Lily cry into his shoulder. He rubbed her shoulder and didn’t say a word. Lily was the strongest person he knew. She kept herself in control so well that cracks were beginning to form. He knew that if she didn’t find the release, her entire foundation would crumble out beneath her.</p><p>“He told me I’m obsessed with James,” Lily hiccoughed as she pulled her face away from Remus’s shoulder. She swiped furiously at the tears on her cheeks.</p><p>Remus was quiet for a long moment. “I don’t think you’re obsessed with James. But I also don’t think you dislike him as much as you say you do either.”</p><p>Lily sat quietly for a few minutes. Sort of like a bump on a log. “I don’t think you’re wrong.” She said it so quietly that Remus almost missed it. Lily turned her face to Remus’s and he could see the fear in her eyes.</p><p>“What sparked that comment from Colin?” Remus figured talking about her former boyfriend was a safer topic at present than talking about the possibility that Lily might not hate James as much she had convinced herself she did.</p><p>“He fancied a snog and I said no.” Lily muttered and reached over Remus’s lap for the firewhiskey.</p><p>The comment made Remus laugh. He took the bottle from Lily and took another deep swig of it before handing it back. “I could beat him up for you if you’d like.”</p><p>“I’m sure you could.” A hint of a smile made Lily’s lips twitch. “Is that all you boys want? A good snog?”</p><p>“There are some who are only looking for a snog, yes.” Remus conceded this point. “I don’t think I’m that way. And for what it’s worth I don’t think James is either.”</p><p>Lily took a long swig from the bottle and grinned at him. “And Sirius?”</p><p>“Is a lost cause. He enjoys snogging. Gimme the bottle,” Remus held out his hand and drank some more.</p><p>“But I bet Sirius is a pretty good snog,” Lily giggled at the thought.</p><p>Remus smirked, “And I bet that you’re drunk, Miss Evans.”</p><p>Lily swatted Remus’s arm and tumbled over onto his lap in fits of laughter. Remus couldn’t help himself he started to laugh too. He stopped Lily from reaching for the bottle again. She laid back on the stone and looked up at the night sky. Lily pointed out a shooting star to Remus and told him to make a wish.</p><p>“It’s just a meteoroid entering the atmosphere, Lily.” Remus scooted the bottle away from the two of them with his foot and stretched his crossed legs out in front of himself. He could almost hear Lily roll her eyes. Remus turned to her and saw that she had the firewhiskey in her hand. “How did you?”</p><p>She smiled at him and passed him the bottle. “Magic.” Lily wiggled her fingers in the air and burst out laughing again.</p><p>“If you’re not quiet, McGonagall will find us and we’ll both probably lose our badges.” Remus muttered as Lily continued to laugh. He watched her laughing on the ground. She was a stark contrast to the girl he had found thirty minutes ago. At this point Lily was highly intoxicated. Remus didn’t know how much firewhiskey had been in the bottle when she started but it was getting close to empty now. He started to think about how on earth he was going to get Lily back to the Common Room without them getting caught. He could wait until he knew the majority of the Hogwarts staff had gone to bed and hope they weren’t caught. Of course if he waited too long, James and Sirius were likely to come looking for them. It wouldn’t be hard either. Remus hadn’t brought the map with him even though he’d used it to find Lily.</p><p>“Can I ask you a question, Remus?” Lily dropped her left arm to her stomach and turned her head to look at him. “Why does everyone expect me and James to end up together?”</p><p>Remus looked at her to judge her intoxication levels. She was currently upending the bottle. “Lily, look up at the stars. You see that cluster of bright ones. Yes, those ones. They foretell the coming of a great love story. Of a bespectacled boy and a fire-haired girl with green eyes and –” Remus couldn’t finish his prophesizing because Lily was hitting him. Laughter erupted from both of them as she started to tickle him. Remus rolled away and sat up. Lily tried to get up and tackle him but she couldn’t stand up. She toppled over and continued to laugh.</p><p>“How good of a snog is James?” Remus stared at Lily and decided that he should probably get her back to her dormitory and soon.</p><p>“You’d have to ask him that,” Remus murmured as he went to scoop Lily up. “I bet you won’t though.”</p><p>“Remus John Lupin! I bet you five Sickles that I will so ask James if he’s a good snog.” To say Lily was having a difficult time staying on her feet was an understatement. Remus almost had to carry her to the stairs of the Astronomy tower. “For five Galleons, I’ll snog James to find out.”</p><p>“Better not let him hear that, he’ll take you up on that offer.” Lily stuck her tongue out at him as they reached the stairs.</p><p>“Who’s the better snog, James or Sirius?” Remus couldn’t tell if Lily’s face was this flushed from the whiskey or if she was embarrassed.</p><p>Remus shook his head as he worked to get Lily down the stairs. It was certainly a slow going. Lily was not a big person by any means but all the alcohol she had ingested made her as stiff as a noodle. She reminded him that they had left the alcohol outside and Remus muttered under his breath. He planted Lily on a stair and told her to stay. He sprinted up the stairs and vanished the emptied bottle. Remus hurried down the stairs to find that Lily had actually stayed put like he told her to. This made Lily a much better person to drink with than James and Sirius who wandered off when they consumed large quantities of alcohol. Ninety-nine percent of the time they got in to a whole lot of mischief when they did this.</p><p>“Let’s get you to bed, Lily.” Remus half carried Lily down the stairs. He told her to be quiet and peered around the corner at the bottom of the stairs. He sighed, they were on the third floor, on the opposite side of the castle from Gryffindor Tower. “Alright, Moony. Pull it together. You’re not called a Marauder for nothing.”</p><p>Lily giggled, “You’re talking to yourself, Mooooooony.”</p><p>The Marauder swore under his breath as he tried to hoist Lily up. “Keep your voice down.”</p><p>Their pace didn’t pick up any on flat ground. If anything they slowed down. Lily’s body was starting to absorb all the alcohol and she was barely coherent let alone able to control her movement. Remus got her down the corridor to the statue of the one-eyed witch when he thought he heard movement. He looked down to the end of the hallway and saw the faintest glimmer of light. Remus pulled Lily behind the statue and covered her mouth with his hand. He tapped the hump on the witch’s back and whispered dissendium. He grunted with the effort of hoisting Lily into the secret passage and then clamored in after her. The hump closed on them.</p><p>Remus stepped in front of Lily as the hump opened unexpectedly. “Moony? You down there?”</p><p>Sirius helped lift Lily out of the secret passage. He glared at Remus. “What in Merlin’s name did you do?” Sirius hissed at him.</p><p>“She did it to herself. I think she stole it from Marlene. That’s the only place I can think she would get it from.” Sirius was on one side of Lily and Remus was on her other side. They carried her across the hall to an empty classroom and sat down. “Did you bring the map with you?”</p><p>Sirius glanced at Lily and back to Remus. He was talking about top secret Marauder information in front of a non-Marauder. Remus had to tell Sirius that there was no way Lily was going to remember anything but the splitting headache she’d have in the morning. The shorter boy grumbled about how Moony was breaking all sorts of rules. Remus glared at him and told to just help him get Lily back to Gryffindor Tower. Remus made Sirius hold out the map while he carried most of Lily’s weight.</p><p>“Hey, Sirius,” Lily slurred as she struggled to keep her eyes open. “Are you a good snogger?”</p><p>Lily’s right side slumped as Sirius dropped her. “Merlin, Evans.”</p><p>“You owe me *hiccup* five Sickles, Moooooony.” Lily giggled.</p><p>Sirius just stopped and look at Remus. He was going to have a lot of explaining to do when they got back to the Common Room. “You are mistaken, Lily. I bet five Sickles if you asked James.”</p><p>“And I bet five Galleons I’d snog him.” Lily sat down on the floor of the corridor and giggled.</p><p>Remus looked at the map that Sirius was holding to make sure there were no professors around them. Fortunately, it looked like everyone was asleep. Filch was down near the kitchens. Remus pulled Lily up off the ground. In a swift movement, he picked her up bridal style. “Alright, well I’ll accept those Galleons anytime you want to give them to me. For right now, let’s play a game. Who can be the quietest.”</p><p>Suddenly the atmosphere shifted. Sirius found the entire situation a lot more comical than he had a moment ago. The map helped them to reroute twice. Once because Mrs. Norris was guarding the stairs that provided the most direct route. Sirius had offered to transform and chase her away but Remus talked him out of it. The second time, Peeves was making paintings swing and was likely to sound the alarm despite respecting the habits of mischief. It was well past one in the morning when they finally stumbled into the Common Room. Lily was three quarters of the way passed out. Remus held Lily up near the portrait hole while Sirius checked if the coast was clear. The room was empty. Everyone had gone off to their warm beds even though it was only Saturday night. Or rather, Sunday morning.</p><p>“Moony.” Sirius turned around and looked at his friend as he tried to carry Lily forward. “How are we going to get Lily up to her bed?”</p><p>Remus looked around and then at Lily. They really shouldn’t leave her anywhere. “We could put her in our dormitory?”</p><p>Sirius disagreed, “Can’t we just leave her on the couch?”</p><p>“No. We can’t just leave her on the couch, Padfoot.” Remus scowled at Sirius as he put Lily down on the couch temporarily. She might not be heavy but he’d been lugging her deadweight around the castle for the better part of two hours now. “What if she throws up? Someone needs to watch her.”</p><p>“Well, how much did she drink?” Sirius didn’t think that Lily could have a very high tolerance for alcohol. She’d probably sober up soon.</p><p>“A whole bloody bottle of Firewhiskey, Padfoot.” Remus picked Lily up again.</p><p>“Bloody hell, Evans.” Sirius was impressed. Lily lifted her head and looked at Sirius with a dopey smile. He gave her a thumbs up and she put her fist out for a bump. Sirius grinned and bumped her fist with his. Remus scowled at him. “Okay, so I guess we should make sure she doesn’t die. Damn it, Evans. You’re my new hero. We might have to make you an honourary Marauder for this.”</p><p>Remus told Sirius to just get the door for him and he carried Lily up the stairs. Peter and James were asleep when they entered the room. Sirius put his finger to his lip to tell Lily she needed to be quiet. They were almost to the spare bed when Remus tripped over a pile of robes on the floor. He dropped Lily with a loud thud and landed on top of her. Lily shrieked as she fell and shouted when Remus landed on top of her. Sirius flicked on the light as Peter fell out of bed.</p><p>“It wassintme!” Peter was tangled up in his covers on the floor.</p><p>James sat up in his bed and looked at his two best mates. Remus was untangling himself from Lily who was complaining rather drunkenly and rather loudly about how heavy Remus was. Sirius stepped in front of them, “This is a dream. You’re only dreaming.”</p><p>Remus kicked Sirius in the back of the knee, sending him tumbling to the floor. Lily was sort of standing now, Remus was propping her up again. James looked at the two boys like they were from another planet. “What in Merlin’s bloody name is going on?”</p><p>Lily hiccupped and giggled. She tried to get Remus’s attention but he was ignoring her as he tried to explain himself to James. Lily, unhappy with being ignored by her support beam, covered Remus’s mouth with her hand and shushed him. Sirius, who was still on the floor, looked like Christmas had come early. In a way it sort of had for him. He only wished he had a camera to capture this moment.</p><p>“James,” Lily’s slur was still pretty bad but the boys could understand her. Sirius leaned forwards watching, this was going to be great. “Are you a good snogger?”</p><p>Sirius’s face filled with glee as Remus rubbed his face with his free hand. Lily took this opportunity to poke Remus in the chest, which meant she really poked him in the stomach because he was a solid eight inches taller than her. “You owe me five Galleons, Lupin!”</p><p>“I think you mean Sickles, Lilyflower.” Sirius was trying so hard to contain himself. “The Galleons were for if you snogged Jamesie boy.”</p><p>Remus looked like he was going to kill Sirius. Lily moved a lot faster than they thought she could with this much alcohol. She miscalculated her path to James and tripped over one of Sirius’s outstretched legs. Lily stumbled forward and was going to hit her face on the bedpost of James’s bed.</p><p>James caught her just in time and propped her up. “How much alcohol has she had?”</p><p>“The better part of a bottle of Firewhiskey,” Remus winced as he told James this.</p><p>Lily was muttering to herself. She looked up at James and started to talk to him. He looked down at her and sighed. This was not how he had dreamed Lily would end up in his dormitory. “Cute snitches, James.”</p><p>James looked down at the boxers he was wearing. They were red and covered in gold snitches. He exhaled slowly and glared at Remus again. “Why did you bring her up here?”</p><p>“How were we supposed to get her into her own bed?” Sirius looked up at James. “We would’ve woken the whole damn House. That would’ve been ten times worse than Lily seeing your snitch undies while she’s probably blackout drunk.”</p><p>James scooped Lily up in his arms and began to cross the room. He kicked Sirius pretty hard in the ribs as he walked past him. The bed next to Remus’s was the empty bed in the room and James dumped Lily onto the bed. Remus summoned a bucket from the loo just in case Lily needed to puke during the night. James ran his hand through his hair and ruffled it a little bit. This was definitely not how he had envisioned sleeping in the same room with Lily.</p><p>“Remus, where did Lily get the whiskey from?” James pulled up a chair and sat down in between Remus’s bed and the one Lily was on.</p><p>“Where do you think she got it from, James?” Remus was tired. He sank down unto his bed and pulled off his shoes.</p><p>James turned and look at Sirius accusingly. “Woah. Mate. It wasn’t me. Who else do you know that keeps a stash of alcohol that Lily had access to?”</p><p>“Marlene.” James looked at Lily again. She was struggling to unlace her shoes. He muttered something dark under his breath that no one else heard. “Lily, do you need help?”</p><p>Green eyes looked up at him. She giggled and murmured something that no one in the room heard. James asked her to repeat herself. Lily just stuck her hand out and looked up at him with her beautiful emerald eyes. She had a huge smile stretched across her face.</p><p>“Uh James, I think she wants her money from her bet.” Sirius was now sitting on his bed and pulling off his shirt.</p><p>Lily wolf whistled when she looked at him. “I bet you <em>are</em> a good snogger, Sirius.”</p><p>Remus slammed his head into the bed post when Sirius winked at Lily. James glared at him and told him to put his shirt back on. “You hypocrite, you’re not wearing a shirt and neither is Pete!”</p><p>Peter was still sitting on the floor only half awake. He wasn’t wearing a shirt but he had swaddled himself in his blankets. Sirius started to pull off his trousers and winked again at Lily. James almost lost it. He told Padfoot to get changed behind the curtains and to just go to bed. Sirius retaliated by saying he didn’t want to miss out on a drunk Evans. It would probably never happen again in the history of Hogwarts.</p><p>“No, Lily, keep that on.” Remus had jumped up of his bed and trying to keep Lily from taking off her shirt. Her tie already lay discarded on the floor along with her shoes and socks.</p><p>“But it’s hot in here,” Lily whined as she tugged at Remus’s hands.</p><p>James slammed the side of his fist into the bedpost. “Lily, go to sleep.”</p><p>Lily laid down on the bed and tilted her head on the pillow. She looked up at James and smiled. With another hiccup she whispered good night. Within two minutes she was snoring lightly. James leaned his head back against the bed post. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Sirius stripped down to his boxers and climbed in to bed. Remus closed the curtains around his bed while he changed into a pair of pajamas. The lights were flicked out when he opened the curtains again. James was still sitting at the end of the bed Lily was on.</p><p>“Remus,” James murmured softly. “Thank you.”</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Happy Slugmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily woke up with a splitting headache. Her throat felt like it was on fire, it was so dry. A faint dawn glow was streaming through the window. Lily rolled over, this wasn’t right. Her bed wasn’t on this side of the room. She groaned as she tried to sit up. The room around her spun a little and she laid back down. She rolled over on to her side and closed her eyes again. Marlene was snoring really loud this morning. Lily muttered something about Marlene really needing to try an anti-snore potion. She rolled the other way only to have light in her face. She grumbled and cracked one eye open, someone was sitting in a chair next to her bed.</p><p>James Potter was snoring lightly with his head propped against the bed post. His arms were crossed across his bare chest. A blanket lay on the floor at his feet. Lily covered her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. What was James Potter doing in the girls’ dormitory? How did he get up the stairs? And why did her head hurt so much? Lily sat up very slowly. She looked down at herself. A thin blanket with the English Quidditch symbol was draped over her body. She was still fully clothed in her uniform that she never changed out of yesterday. Lily realized she wasn’t in her dormitory, she was in the Marauders dormitory. Remus was in the bed next to her, Peter was across the room, Sirius was snoring like a dragon by the window, and an empty bed was next to his. That one must have been James’s.</p><p>“Stay calm, Lily. There has to be a logical reason for this.” Lily slowly extracted herself from the bed. The room was freezing so she wrapped herself in the Quidditch blanket. She was careful not to trip over any of the items that littered the dormitory floor. She found one shoe but couldn’t find the other. Lily went to summon it with her wand but couldn’t find that either. She stubbed her toe on the foot of the bed and swore loudly.</p><p>James woke up and reached for the glasses on the table next to him. He looked at Lily and scratched his head. She was holding one shoe in her hand and looked very disheveled. Her other shoe was lying next to his foot. He stooped down and picked it up. He stood up and walked over to her to hand it to her.</p><p>Lily’s eyes raked over James’s body. She had never noticed how muscular James was. Her face blushed bright red and she turned her head quickly away when she saw the bulge in his boxers.</p><p>“James, your – uh – you…”</p><p>Sirius had also woken up when Lily stubbed her toe. He was watching the two of them from his bed. “Oy! Prongs! Might want to cover up, mate. Evans, doesn’t want to see your wand.”</p><p>The boy looked down and blushed as red as Lily. He snatched his blanket up off the floor and wrapped it around himself. James stuttered an apology to Lily. Both teens stood there frozen until Sirius climbed out of bed. He was also clad only in boxers but was not in the same situation as James. Sirius opened the door to the stairs and popped his head out. The coast was clear and it was probably too early for anyone to be down in the Common Room. Sirius nodded to Lily that she could go. With the blanket wrapped around her she scrambled out the door and down the stairs.</p><p>“You should take care of that, mate.” Sirius grinned devilishly and made his way to the loo.</p><p>James fell backwards on to the bed Lily had slept in. He was never going to live this down. Remus rolled over and snorted. James tilted his head back so it was half hanging off the bed. “This is your fault, Remus.”</p><p>“I’m flattered, mate, but I don’t swing that way.”</p><hr/><p>Lily was on edge at breakfast that morning. It hadn’t taken long for word to travel that Lily and Colin had broken up. Rumors flew wildly down the corridors and through the Great Hall that morning. Marlene and Alice had waited for Beatrice and Mary to leave the dormitory for breakfast before they grilled Lily about the night before. Where did she run off to? Why didn’t she come back? Where had she slept?</p><p>“Merlin, Lily! Your breath reeks,” Alice muttered pushing Lily away. “Were you drinking last night?”</p><p>Marlene laughed at the exceptionally guilty look Lily had on her face. She opened her trunk and rummaged around for a bit. “Did you finish the bottle, Lily? Do you remember anything from last night at all?”</p><p>Lily winced. Marlene was talking really loudly and her head was throbbing. “I’m sorry, Mar. I didn’t know what to do. The last thing I can remember is sitting up on the Astronomy tower.”</p><p>“Next time, we’ll drink with you.” Marlene hugged Lily and laughed at the disproving look Alice gave her. “Okay, I’ll drink with you and Alice can make sure we don’t get too silly.”</p><p>“Where did that blanket come from?” Alice was looking at the Quidditch symbol. She knew Lily enjoyed Quidditch but the girl didn’t have any paraphernalia. Anyways her team was Ireland, not England.</p><p>Marlene’s eyebrows shot up. Lily had been blackout drunk last night, there was no doubt in her mind about that. She had found her way up to the Astronomy tower. And now she was wrapped in James Potter’s most cherished blanket. “Did you?” Marlene looked at Lily shocked.</p><p>Lily looked down at the blanket and then at her friends. “No!” She wasn’t as convincing as she wanted to be. Truthfully, she didn’t know what had happened. One moment she was watching the stars atop the Astronomy tower and the next she was waking up in Marauders’ dormitory.</p><p>“Why don’t you go brush your teeth and get changed,” Alice’s sweet disposition was clear in the lack of judgement in her voice. “Then we can all go get some breakfast and you can drink a gallon of coffee because I’m sure you need it.”</p><p>Lily dumped the blanket on her unslept in bed and went into the loo to brush her teeth. When she emerged, Marlene had a huge grin across her face and Alice was smiling too. Lily looked at them suspiciously but her growling stomach stopped her from questioning them. The trio made their way down to the Great Hall. Lily did her best to ignore the whispers that followed them down the corridors. Marlene scowled at students who stared at them. Alice looped her arm through Lily’s and smiled.</p><p>“I don’t want to sit anywhere near the boys!” Lily whispered to her friends. Alice guided Lily along the wall on the outside of the Gryffindor table. They sat near the doors, far enough in where people needed to crane their heads to catch a glimpse of Lily but not so far that Lily had to walk past the majority of the Gryffindor students. They caught snippets of rumours throughout the meal. Everything centered on Colin breaking up with Lily but the stories about why were making Lily cringe. Marlene told Lily to just ignore them and pushed the coffee across the table to her.</p><p>“I heard he broke up with her because she snogged Potter.” The voice belonged to a seventh-year Ravenclaw girl who was sitting not far away from them.</p><p>Alice glared at the girl and Marlene nudged Lily’s foot. Lily kept her head down to prevent people from seeing the blush that was rapidly creeping up her neck. Colin had suggested to her to snog Potter and Lily couldn’t remember what had happened the night before. Maybe she had snogged James to get back at Colin for suggesting it. She was getting more and more frustrated at the fact that she couldn’t remember what the hell had happened.</p><p>A new wave of whispers flew through the hall as the Marauders sauntered through the doors. Remus saw Marlene and the girls and made his friends sit at the very end of the table. This meant that Lily didn’t have to face James or Sirius but it also meant she was going sit at the table until the four boys finished their meals. Lily murmured quietly to herself that she just had to make it through the week and then she could go home for the holidays. Two blissful weeks that she could shut herself in her room without listening to whispers. She couldn’t remember if she’d ever been happier to leave Hogwarts. Especially in the past few years when Petunia had grown increasingly nastier to her.</p><p>Lily didn’t think that a bolder group of boys than the Marauders existed but she was proven wrong that morning. Colin, Aiden, and Andrew entered the Great Hall, sending a third rush of whispers. Mostly from girls in the upper years. He was too good for her. She shouldn’t have given him up for Potter. At least he was single again, finally. Lily looked across the table at Marlene who looked almost as annoyed as Lily. The three seventh-year boys stared down James and Sirius as the approached the Gryffindor table. Sirius muttered something as they passed by. Colin clenched his fist but didn’t dignify Sirius with a response. Lily held her head up proudly as Colin approached them. She wasn’t going to let him see her undone. She was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors didn’t cower in the corner.</p><p>Colin snorted as he walked by the three girls and murmured something to Aiden that none of them caught. Marlene pulled her wand out of sleeve and pointed it his back as he passed. Lily kicked her under the table and told her not to start something. The last thing Lily wanted was to get in trouble in the Great Hall. On top of that Lily wasn’t sure that Sirius would keep his nose out of it if Marlene hexed Colin.</p><p>“Have they left yet?” Lily asked as she pulled herself a third cup of coffee. The coffee was really helping with the wretched hangover Lily had this morning.</p><p>“No.” Alice had looked down the table. “Wait, James is leaving. Are you okay walking past the other three?”</p><p>Lily nodded. She hoped Sirius didn’t make an ass of her. But she reminded herself that she was a lion and that she would hold her head high. The trio of girls pushed their plates back, Lily picked up her coffee and brought it with her. A small buzz of whispers circulated but none like the ones earlier in the meal. Remus nodded encouragingly at Lily as she and her friends approached. Marlene stopped to give Remus a quick kiss on the cheek. Sirius pretended to make vomiting noises. The blonde rolled her eyes and followed her friends out.</p><hr/><p>The last week of term flew by despite the amount of work the teachers gave to the sixth-year students. Slughorn held his annual Christmas party on the last night of the term. Lily sat on her bed in her dormitory looking rather grumpy. Alice was putting her finishing touches on her make-up. Marlene was glaring across the room at Lily. The two girls told her that she couldn’t sit on her bed and mope all night. Marlene had physically forced Lily into her charcoal-coloured dress robes. Alice had reminded her that she had RSVP’d to the party weeks ago and it would be rude of her to not show up. Lily knew she couldn’t skive off Slughorn’s party even though she desperately wanted to.</p><p>Remus and Frank met them down in the Common Room. Lily was itching at the sight of Remus. If he had waited that meant James and Sirius couldn’t be too far away. She had done a masterful job of avoiding both of those boys even though all but two of her classes were with them. Marlene’s date noticed her unease and informed her that James and Sirius had already set off for the party. Frank gave Lily a friendly smile as he took Alice’s hand. Alice had told him to just let sleeping dogs lie when he’d suggested he apologize for Colin’s behaviour. Lily knew that he had no control over Colin and that he was a decent bloke.</p><p>Alice and Frank took the lead hand in hand. Lily hung back with Marlene and Remus as they were much less lovey dovey in their affection at present. As they neared the party Marlene looped her arm through Remus’s. Lily slowed her pace so she was a half-step behind the couple. Remus reached back and looped his other arm through Lily’s.</p><p>“I’m just the luckiest man at Hogwarts,” Remus beamed at the two of them. “A blonde on one arm and a redhead on the other. I’m sure going to make all the boys at the party jealous.”</p><p>Lily cracked a smile at him. Marlene leaned forward and winked at Lily from the other side of Remus. Together the three sixth-years entered the beautifully decorated parlour. A huge Christmas tree was in the corner by a crackling fire. A good number of students had been invited to the party. It wasn’t as intimate as the dinner parties that the Potions master threw. Sirius was dancing with the fifth-year he had been having his fling with her, Lily thought she remembered the girl’s name was Olivia. James had a drink in his hand and was chatting with Alice and Frank already. Lily noted that he had chosen to go stag.</p><p>A girl with black hair waved to Lily from over near the table of food. Lily murmured a ‘see you later’ to Marlene and Remus, not keen to third-wheel their date all night. She walked over to Hestia</p><p>Jones, a fifth-year prefect from Hufflepuff. “How are you?” Hestia was a kind girl that was easy to be friends with.</p><p>Lily shrugged her shoulders. “This week hasn’t been the easiest and I’m looking forward to going home for the holidays in the morning.”</p><p>Hestia gave that warm friendly smile. “A heard about what happened. For what it’s worth, Colin sounds like a pretty big arse and you deserve way better than him.”</p><p>The two girls exchanged pleasantries for a while before a Ravenclaw boy came and asked Hestia if she wanted to dance with him. Lily shooed her off and smiled absently. She went and found a comfortable armchair out of the way of the party. She hadn’t been sitting long when Remus and Marlene came over to keep her company. The trio chatted for a little while before Lily shooed them off too. She had been forced to come to the party but she wasn’t going to let her misery ruin other people’s fun. Her two friends joined Sirius and Olivia out on the dance floor. Lily had to admit that Sirius really knew how to dance.</p><p>Across the room, Snape was looking at her in a creepy longing sort of way. Lily felt shivers crawl down her spine. The group of boys he was standing with had families that were notorious for their bloodlines and their support of Voldemort. Just looking at the Death Eaters to-be made Lily sick to her stomach. It seemed like every week there was more bad news. More deaths and more torture. She couldn’t figure out when her former best friend had become such a cruel person.</p><p>“Miss Evans!” Professor Slughorn had rooted her out at last. “What are you doing over here all alone? Not turning into a wallflower, are you now, Lily?” The paunchy man laughed at his own joke. He offered her a glass of what looked like champagne. It turned out to be sparkling apple juice. Lily thanked him and smiled. She informed him she was taking a quick rest before getting back out on to the dancefloor. Slughorn grinned and told her he would let her rest so that she could get out there and shine.</p><p>The clock on the wall showed that it was just past eleven. Lily decided she had spent enough time at the party and that she could go to bed without being rude at this point. She did have a long day of travelling tomorrow, at least that was her justification for it. She waved goodbye to Remus and Marlene. Alice had disappeared with Frank long ago. Lily slipped out of the brightly lit room into the dark corridor. The darkness and quiet cloaked her as she let out a deep breath.</p><p>Lily was halfway up the corridor when someone shouted. “Lily, wait!” She turned around and came face to face with James Potter. Her body froze and her mind told her to make a run for it. The frozen muscles won out. She stood there and looked at James. He shoved his hands in his pockets and was suddenly very shy.</p><p>“Did you have something you wanted to say, Potter?” Lily’s tone was a little more waspish than she had intended for it to be. She sighed and shook her head. “Sorry.”</p><p>Lily began walking again and James fell into step with her. “I wanted to talk to you. I’ve been trying to get you alone all week. No, that’s not what I meant. I just…What happened last weekend?”</p><p>They climbed the stairs from the dungeon corridor into the entrance hall. There was more lighting here but it was still dim compared to the party. Lily didn’t think she could look at him. How was she supposed to tell him that she had no idea what had happened? They continued climbing upwards to the second floor. Lily still hadn’t said anything. Finally, James stopped her in the Transfiguration corridor. He didn’t look angry or annoyed just confused. Lily looked at him and frowned. She took in a deep breath and let it out. She motioned to an empty classroom and James followed her.</p><p>Lily sat down on a desk. “I don’t remember what happened.”</p><p>“What?” James leaned against the door. “Anything?”</p><p>The girl shook her head. She was trying really hard to hold herself together. The embarrassment was slowly mounting and she didn’t know how she could hold it off. “I don’t know what you want me to tell you.” She got up and walked towards the door but James was still leaning against it. Lily told him to move but he only crossed his arms in front of his chest. A tiny voice in the back her mind murmured something about how devilishly handsome James looked as he prevented her from leaving the classroom.</p><p>“What happened between you and Colin?” James was immovable. It was clear to Lily that he wasn’t going to let her leave without an explanation.</p><p>She went and sat back down on the desk. “We broke up.” Lily pursed her lips. Even though the only light in the room was the moonlight shining through the window, Lily could see the hint of a grin play across his face. “Is that good enough?”</p><p>“No, Lily, it’s not.” James saw her give a start when he called her by her first name. “Because the moment I walked into the Common Room on Saturday night Smith shouted that you should snog me. I want answers.”</p><p>“God damn it, Potter!” Lily shouted at him. “Stop calling me Lily! And stop mentioning that prat! Somehow you managed to ruin the one relationship I’ve been able to have at this bloody school and you didn’t even do one sodding thing!” Lily slammed her arms across her chest and gave a big ‘hmph’ while she glared at him.</p><p>“I’m glad you realize I had nothing to with it.” James’s tone was flirting dangerously with gloating. “That still doesn’t tell me what happened.”</p><p>Lily took a deep breath. She closed her eyes and exhaled. She took a few more deep breaths before she was finally calm enough to face him. “Colin told me that I’m obsessed with you and he was angry that I wanted to finish my Charms reading instead of going for a snog with him. He said I should snog you because he thinks – thought that you were all I was thinking about. That it was okay for you to distract me because you’re Potter but that it wasn’t okay for my boyfriend to.” Anger, embarrassment, and sadness were mixing in Lily’s core and she knew she wouldn’t be able to hold them at bay forever.</p><p>James let out the breath he was holding in. “I’m sorry. I don’t really know what for but I feel like I owe you an apology. Um, I’m sorry if you feel like I’ve ruined your relationship with Colin.” He uncrossed his arms and turned. He twisted the door knob and opened it slightly before Lily started talking again.</p><p>“Potter, wait.” Lily hadn’t gotten up from the desk but James turned back around and closed the door. He looked at Lily with curiousity. She didn’t sound angry but there was clearly something else on her mind. “How did – how did I end up…in your dormitory?” The question stumbled out of her mouth slowly.</p><p>James stood by the door debating if he knew enough of the story to be able to tell it. He decided that he knew the basics of it and sat down on at a desk across from Lily. “I only know some of how you ended up there. Believe me I was as shocked as you.”</p><p>Lily found that pretty hard to believe but she waited for him to continue. That damn voice in the back her mind was making inappropriate comments again. James was ruffling up his hair and the voice asked Lily how she thought it would feel to run her fingers through his beautiful dark hair. The girl shook the voice off and gestured for James to continue.</p><p>“After you left the Common Room we sort of sat in a standoff with Colin and his friends.” James told her, she figured ‘we’ meant the Marauders. “Aubrey Davies showed up later in the evening<br/>and I guess that’s when Remus went to look for you. He told us he found you on top of the Astronomy tower.”</p><p>“Yeah, I took Marlene’s firewhiskey and snuck up there.” Lily had decided after the fact that it hadn’t been as good of a decision as it had seemed at the time.</p><p>“What were you going to do if a professor had caught you?” James had been trying to figure this out all week.</p><p>Lily grinned at him. “I was going to say I had confiscated it from you and Sirius actually.”</p><p>James glared across the room at her flatly. “That’s cold, even for you.”</p><p>“Sirius is of age now. I figured he’d have gotten in less trouble for it than anyone else.” Lily shrugged. “It doesn’t matter because I didn’t get caught.”</p><p>“Marlene’s seventeen too AND she’s the one you got the bottle from.” James waved his hands and muttered that they were getting sidetracked here. “Do you remember Remus coming up to the Astronomy Tower? He was gone for hours.”</p><p>Lily wracked her brain and then finally a little glimmer of memory. She had been halfway into the bottle when Remus had showed up. “Yeah, now I remember. We stayed out there until I finished the bottle. It wasn’t quite past curfew when he showed up. I think.”</p><p>“Well, eventually students started to go to bed. Aubrey left to head off to her own dormitory but you hadn’t come back yet. Sirius went up–” James caught himself. He didn’t want to divulge that information. Fortunately, Lily had started to cut him off at the same time he stopped himself.</p><p>“I remember Sirius lifting me up out of a hole at some point but it’s really hazy.” The memory was so odd. She couldn’t tell James where in the castle they had been but it was such a weird memory that she could remember Sirius pulling her from above and Remus lifting her up from below.</p><p>James nodded, “Sirius went to find Remus. He found you two on the third-floor. The two of them got you back to the Common Room to find it empty. Remus didn’t want to leave you on a couch in case you puked, so they carried you up to our dorm because we have an empty bed.”</p><p>Memories came rushing back to Lily. She distinctly remembered Remus tripping and dropping her on the floor before landing on top of her. “Right. Sirius had tried to get me to keep quiet when we entered but Remus dropped me on the floor by accident.”</p><p>“Yeah, and I woke up super confused to a very drunk Lily in my dormitory.” James muttered dryly. He remembered how Lily had asked him if he’d been a good snogger and wondered whether he should tell her about that part.</p><p>James didn’t need to tell Lily about what happened next. The evil voice in her mind replayed the memory for her. Remus was propping her up and she shouted across the room at Potter, asking if he was a good snog and then demanding five Galleons from Remus. Sirius told her she only got Galleons if she snogged James. Tripping over Sirius and landing in James’s arms. James scooping her up in his strong arms and carrying her to the bed. The look on James’s face told Lily that he remembered it too. “Oh God. James, I…” Terror stretched across her face. Why was drunk her such a traitor?</p><p>“You were drunk, Lily.” James couldn’t help but smile hopelessly at her calling him James. “But you owe Remus five Galleons.”</p><p>James scooted off the table. He knew what had happened and Lily knew what had happened and that was enough for him. He looked up for a brief moment and saw the mistletoe above him. Lily looked up to where he was looking and saw the plant. She didn’t know what made her do it. Lily closed the space between them and pressed her lips tenderly against James’s. She was on her tiptoes and her hands were on his cheeks.</p><p>James was caught off guard. It took him a moment to realize that Lily was kissing him. He wrapped one arm around her body and pulled her closer to him. His other hand moved to the back of her neck so he could deepen the kiss. It felt like electricity was surging through their bodies. Lily’s hands roamed down to James’s chest. His chest felt as toned as she had suspected it would when she’d seen him in just his boxers last weekend.</p><p>The door to the classroom opened quickly and Remus pulled Marlene in behind him. Lily and James sprang apart at the intrusion. The four teens stood there in uncomfortable silence. Lily bolted for the door and knocked into Marlene on her way out.</p><p>“Lily!” James called after her. When he made it out the door, she was gone. He turned to his two friends and ruffled up his hair anxiously.</p><p>“Merlin’s beard, James!” Marlene shouted at him. “Honestly! Can’t a girl get a snog with her boyfriend without having to put her best friend’s life back together.” Marlene glared at him and took off at a jog to go find Lily.</p><p>Remus scowled at James. “Are you serious?”</p><p>“No, but I am!” Sirius popped his head through the door.</p><p>“Where the hell did you come from?” Remus looked at him incredulously. Sirius opened his mouth to answer but Remus silenced him with a look.</p><p>James leaned back against the desk with his head in his hands. “I just can’t win.”</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Home for the Holidays</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily sat in the corner of the compartment. A copy of Lord of the Ring was in her lap and she was completely ignoring every person in the train compartment. Alice and Frank were cuddled up across from her, completely lost in their own world. Marlene was sitting next to Remus, who she wasn’t talking to. She also wasn’t talking to Lily. Peter had squished himself in the corner next to Remus. James was sitting across from Peter looking as sullen as ever with a Quidditch book open in his lap. Sirius was sitting next to him. A wizard’s chess board was levitating between Remus and Sirius. The Hogwarts Express was unusually full this year. That, in combination with the two groups of students being exceptionally late to get to the Hogsmeade platform, earned the group of eight students a very tightly packed compartment.</p><p>James and Lily wouldn’t even make eye contact. Both of them were furious with each other. Their kiss in the Transfiguration classroom last night should have spread like wild fire through the student body. Yet it was the one of the best kept secrets among Marlene, Remus, and Sirius. The three were shocked and excited that Lily had kissed James. Maybe they would finally get together. Or the world would implode. But it was definitely going to be one of those two.</p><p>Around noon, Remus leaned over Marlene and told Lily it was time for them to do their patrol. Lily closed her book with a snap. She put it down on her seat and followed Remus out of the compartment. They made their way up the train towards the Prefects car in an uncomfortable silence. At least it was uncomfortable for Remus, Lily seemed quite content to stay silent. She was ruthless in her patrol. She confiscated two fanged frisbees and a bottle of Ogden’s firewhiskey. She left the frisbees in the Prefects car when they got to the front of the train but held on to the whiskey.</p><p>“Thinking about going for another round of blackout, Miss Evans,” Remus murmured dryly. He grinned wolfishly when she glared at him. He pulled a small pouch out his pocket and handed it to her. “Your winnings.”</p><p>“Lupin.” Lily didn’t shout. Her voice was flat and quiet.</p><p>“No? Alright, I’ll keep it then. Maybe I’ll buy you a nice book for Christmas, hmm? How does that sound?” Remus caught Lily’s hand as she flailed it to the side. “Let’s not resort to violence.”</p><p>Lily scowled at him. They passed their compartment as they had to make sure they patrolled the entire train before returning to their compartment. Students that were in the passageway when they saw Lily coming ducked into compartments. They all knew what her warpath face looked like and knew to stay out of the way when they saw it. Remus followed her back to the compartment where Marlene had taken up their three seats and put her feet up on Pete’s lap.</p><p>“This is yours.” Lily thrust the firewhiskey at Marlene as she sat up to give Lily her spot back.</p><p>The blonde girl grinned. Apparently providing Marlene with firewhiskey was the type of apology she wanted. Lily was still quiet for the remainder of the train ride but she and Marlene had effectively resolved whatever had been the problem between them. Alice and Frank were getting a little frisky in their corner of the compartment. This seemed to peeve Marlene the most. She kicked out with one of her long legs. “If I don’t get to snog, no one gets to snog.”</p><p>Alice blushed to the roots of her hair and looked sheepishly at her two friends. She mumbled and apology. Frank avoided Marlene’s eyes.</p><p>“Moony, are you unable to fulfil your responsibilities as McKinnon’s boyfriend?” Sirius grinned. “Marlene, if he’s not living up to his expectations I’d be more than happy to help you out.”</p><p>Marlene scowled at him as he gave her a cheeky wink. Remus stretched one his long limbs out and kicked Sirius hard in the knee. Sirius let out a growl of pain and glared at Remus. The boy muttered something about not being able to take a joke. This earned him a second kick landing on his shin. “Alright! I get it! Stop kicking me, Merlin!”</p><p>The Hogwarts Express rolled into the station in London. Lily and Remus helped supervise the unloading. Alice and Frank disappeared, presumably to get a last minute snog before the holiday. James and Sirius walked over to the older Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Marlene trudged along behind them. She usually went home with the Potters and then flooed to her parents’ home from there. Peter waved goodbye to his friends as his mother led him towards the barrier.</p><p>The Potters and their children, Marlene was like a daughter to Euphemia, turned and headed in the direction of muggle London where Fleamont had parked their car. Sirius stopped dead in his tracks, making Marlene and James bump into him from behind. Walburga Black was headed straight for him and there was murder in her eyes. She was a tall, beautiful, fierce looking woman that shared her son’s black hair and grey eyes.</p><p>“You ungrateful little brat!” Walburga spat as she rounded on the group. Regulus was hovering behind her. Only Sirius saw the apology on his face. It was only a glimmer and it was gone as soon as Sirius had seen it but it had been there.</p><p>Euphemia Potter stepped in front of the three teens. “Walburga, how wonderful it is to see you again.” Graciousness flowed through her voice with a twinge of something else that the children couldn’t put their fingers on. “Is there something I can do for you?”</p><p>“Step outside and led me deal with my son.” Mrs. Black glared at the stately woman standing before her.</p><p>“I don’t think so, Walburga.” Euphemia was gray-haired to Walburga’s raven, laugh lines creased her face where the younger woman’s face was harsh, smooth edges. “My sons have had a long train ride and have a long car ride now too.”</p><p>A bubble swelled in Sirius’s chest at Euphemia calling her his son. There was love and tenderness in the way she said it. Not at all like the way Walburga spat it. James put his arm around his mate’s shoulder in support. The platform was clearing quickly and there were few stragglers left behind, mostly prefects and their families. Mrs. Potter waved her family forward and they marched right past Mrs. Black and Regulus.</p><hr/><p>Lily had managed to tuck herself away in her room the week leading up to Christmas. Petunia had been almost a complete nightmare that she was too much to handle. Lily would almost rather be stuck in a room with James Potter at this point. Almost. She had been home for all of two hours when she heard the terrible news. Petunia was engaged to Vernon Dursley. That walrus of a man she had met over the summer. Dinner that night was made even more intolerable when Mrs. Evans asked Lily about Colin. The smugness that stretched across Petunia’s face when Lily explained that she and her boyfriend had broken up before the holidays made Lily wretch.</p><p>Petunia’s engagement meant that plans for this year’s Christmas changed. The Evans family went to midnight Mass on Christmas Eve as per usual but instead of the family spending their Christmas in Cokeworth just the four of them, they travelled to Surrey Christmas day to spend the day with the Vernon family. If Lily thought Vernon was bad his family was an absolute nightmare. The lot of them were overweight and Margaret, affectionately Marge, was downright nasty to Lily. The only way Lily got through the day was by calling Vernon’s sister Marge the Barge in her head.</p><p>The amount of food and alcohol that the Dursleys ingested that day was horrifying. Lily was thankful that for the most part she was ignored by everyone at the table. The only happy thing that came out of Christmas was that Mr. Evans appeared to have had his appetite return. His chemotherapy had gone well and he seemed to be returning to his normal self. The talk at the table focused on Petunia and Vernon and their impending nuptials. They were planning a short engagement with the wedding date set for a weekend in May. Petunia gave Lily smirk, knowing full well that she wouldn’t be able to attend the wedding if she was still away at school. Mrs. Evans piped in and asked wouldn’t they rather have their wedding in the summer?</p><p>“No, mummy. I want a May wedding. Tulips won’t be in season in the summer!” Petunia pouted like a child.</p><p>Lily smirked as she caught the flaw in Petunia’s comment. “Tuney, isn’t the peak of tulip season mid-April? Around Easter?” While Lily didn’t want to attend Petunia’s wedding she knew it would absolutely break her mother’s heart if Lily wasn’t there.</p><p>Petunia’s jaw jutted out in annoyance at Lily. Before she could tell her sister off, Mrs. Dursley commented on how lovely an Easter wedding would be. So it was set that Vernon and Petunia would get married the Saturday of Easter weekend and a big white wedding it would be. The car ride home was nearly as unbearable as Christmas dinner had been. Suddenly Lily was hoping that the next week would fly by so she could get back to Hogwarts and away from her sister.</p><hr/><p>Sirius bounded into James’s room and launched onto the bed. “It’s Christmas, Prongs!” The boy bounced up and down on the bed, shaking James out of sleep.</p><p>“Geroff, Padfoot!” James tried to roll over but the violent bouncing was too much. “I’ll get up!”</p><p>Sirius was not content until James was out of bed and pulling on his robe. The Potters’ home was not quite a house but not quite a mansion. It fell somewhere in the middle. The large home had a library but was not filled with halls of endless rooms. It was unlike the magnificent estates that other prominent pureblood families boasted. Fleamont Potter had become a successful entrepreneur and had grown his family’s wealth dramatically over the years. It was Christmas tradition to put the tree and decorations in the splendid library. The tree sat in front of the big bay window and a number of presents lay beneath the tree.</p><p>James sank into his preferred armchair near the fire as he watch Sirius practically push his mother into the room. Mr. Potter wasn’t far behind. Christmas had always been a happy time for James to spend with his family. It had always been their happy little trio and then the big party in the evening. This year there was the happy edition of Sirius to the family. Even though it was the first time Sirius had joined them Christmas morning it felt completely normal, like this was how every Christmas had been spent for the past sixteen years. It felt like the Potters’ had in fact always had two sons.</p><p>After the chance meeting with Mrs. Black on the platform at the beginning of the holidays Sirius had asked James to come with him to Diagon Alley to pick out a nice present for Mrs. Potter. They had flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and spent an entire day browsing the stores for the perfect gift for Euphemia. James hadn’t gotten his Christmas shopping done on time like he had planned. Something that he always seemed to neglect.</p><p>“This is for you, mum!” Sirius presented a small package to Euphemia with a grin. When he realized what he’d said he blushed deeply.</p><p>Euphemia didn’t even bat an eyelash. She smiled at her second son. “Thank you, Sirius. But you really shouldn’t have gotten me anything.”</p><p>Fleamont pointed to a large package under the tree. “James, give that one to your brother for me please.” Sirius looked like he was on the verge of tears. This was one of the most lovely Christmases he could remember.</p><hr/><p>Marlene pulled on her deep purple, floor length gown. She stood in front of her mirror pleased with herself. The wonderfully light fabric swished around her as she twirled. A sheer layer of deep purple fabric overlaid the skirt and the sleeves were made of the fabric. A deep cut down to between her breasts tastefully. Tonight was going to be wonderful. She made her way down to the sitting room where her father, brother, and gran were waiting for her. Her mother was still getting changed.</p><p>Max, Marlene’s brother, scowled when she twirled into the room. He was not overly fond of his kid sister dressing so provocatively. “Max, I’m seventeen. Bugger off.”</p><p>Mr. McKinnon gave Marlene a reproachful look for her language. The blonde girl apologized and kissed her father’s cheek. Finally, Marlene’s mother, joined them in the sitting room. Mrs. McKinnon could have been Marlene’s sister. They shared the same silky, blonde hair and deep brown eyes. Both were long, lean, and slender. Mrs. McKinnon’s dress was a little more mature than Marlene’s, however, demonstrating their difference in age and fashion.</p><p>The family apparated to the Potters’ home for the New Year’s Eve party. Fairy lights lined the drive as the family joined the throngs of witches and wizards making their way up to the grand house. Marlene was ecstatic that this year she had been allowed to apparate-sidelong with her brother as opposed to flooing. Her hair and makeup didn’t get mussed with soot this time. The family was greeted at the door by the Potters. Sirius was milling around near a table of drinks inside, not keen on being a member of the receiving line even though he had been accepted as a son by Fleamont and Euphemia.</p><p>“Winifred!” Euphemia exclaimed gleefully as Marlene’s gran led the charge into the house. James grinned at Marlene. Both teens remembered the days when Mrs. Potter and Granny Winnie had tried to pair James and Marlene off at every turn. They had thought for sure when the two went off to Hogwarts they’d finally develop the relationship that both of the older women were hoping for. The summer after that first year their hopes were completely dashed. James had returned with stories of his love for the redheaded Lily Evans which Marlene had confirmed, being Lily Evans’s new best friend.</p><p>“You look beautiful, Mar!” James kissed Marlene’s cheek.</p><p>Sirius had wandered over to say hello to Marlene too. “McKinnon.” Sirius looked her up and down like he was appraising a well maintained antique table.</p><p>James didn’t miss the blush that creeped along Marlene’s neck. She was wearing a pair of heels that set her an inch or so taller than Sirius. She really did look beautiful. The deep purple flattered her complexion and blonde hair. James noted that Sirius could barely lift his eyes from the hint of cleavage that the deep vee of the dress accentuated.</p><p>“Eyes up here, Black.” Marlene murmured playfully. James caught Max McKinnon glaring at Sirius and nudged his best friend. Sirius coughed and commented about checking on the dessert table, asking if James would help him.</p><p>The two boys skedaddled out of there before Max could hex their eyes out of their heads. Four years older than them, Max had been as bold a Gryffindor as they. Talented with quick reflexes, a temper that could rival Lily Evans, and fiercely protective of his baby sister. He had finished his seventh year at Hogwarts when Marlene, Sirius, and James had been in their third. He’d moved on to the Ministry in some section of Magical Law Enforcement. He’d only gotten more protective of Marlene as she developed into the strikingly beautiful young woman she was now.</p><p>“Did you see McKinnon?” Sirius shook his head as they turned down a hallway that led to the Potters’ kitchen. “Merlin!”</p><p>James could only laugh. “Don’t let Moony hear you talking about her. You know how possessive he can get.”</p><p>Sirius barked out a laugh. “She’s not a piece of meat, James. She can make her own mind up. I might just need to help her.”</p><p>Speaking of the third Marauder, he was already in the kitchen sneaking treats from the platters of sweets. James laughed as they caught him with not one, not two, but three brownies crammed into his mouth. Like James and Sirius, Remus was dressed in a pair of elegant black dress robes. They had been a gift from James and Sirius that Christmas seeing as he had gone through another growth spurt over the summer and his old dress robes weren’t quite long enough anymore. Remus had told them that they had spent far too much money but neither boy would hear it.</p><p>“Did you not get enough to eat at dinner, Moony?” James snatched a lemon tart off a tray. “You better stop stuffing your face and go say hello to your girlfriend before Padfoot whisks her away for the rest of the night.”</p><p>Remus eyed Sirius suspiciously. The shorter boy gave his friend a cheeky grin and a wink. No one would put it past Sirius to seduce Marlene, especially with the way the relationship between Remus and Marlene was at present. They were still skating on thin ice. A house elf bustled in to the kitchen and saw the three teenage boys eating her desserts. She immediately asked them if they were needing something more substantial than the sweets. Were they wanting more roast beef?</p><p>“No, thank you, Tibby,” James said kindly to her. He ushered his friends out of the kitchen and towards the library.</p><p>They cut through the grand foyer where the adults were mingling. Marlene broke away from her family as she saw the trio. Max told her to watch herself around the boys all the while glaring at them. The girl waved him off and followed them into the library. They sank down onto armchairs and couches.</p><p>“James, have Alice and Frank gotten here yet?” Marlene didn’t mind that she was surrounded by boys but she missed her friends. Almost as if it were a cue, Alice led Frank into the library.</p><p>“No, Lily and Peter?” Frank asked the group. Sirius saw James tense a little at the mention of her name.</p><p>Sirius shrugged, “Peter’s mum never lets him out. She’s worried we’ll corrupt him.” He made no mention of Lily.</p><p>They sat and chatted for some time. Music lilted into the room through the open door. Remus pulled Marlene up off the couch and swept her up into a waltz. Well, a clumsy waltz. Having not grown up in the world of the upper class and esteemed magical community, Remus’s waltzing skills weren’t as perfected as Sirius or James’s. Alice pulled Frank up to join them. Frank was a little more graceful than Remus but Alice couldn’t get the timing right and was constantly stepping out of beat.</p><p>James didn’t notice his mum pop her head into the library to check on the young adults. She smiled as she watched the boys pass around Alice and Marlene as dancing partners. Sirius, who was arguably the most skillful dancer in the room, was the only boy who could keep Alice on beat. However, James and Marlene were the most graceful pair having been practicing since they were deemed old enough to attend the Potters’ holiday parties and soirées.</p><p>Marlene collapsed onto the couch in giggles after Sirius had spun her around the room so much that she had gotten dizzy. Remus and Alice were making a comical pair. She being nearly a foot shorter than the boy. The pair finally gave up on dancing properly. Remus lifted Alice up so she was standing on his feet and walked them around the room, evoking laughter from the other teens.</p><p>“Potter! Where’s the whiskey at?” The blonde knew he had some stashed somewhere. It had been tradition since they’d turned fourteen that the pair would try to finish a bottle of Ogden’s finest firewhiskey at every party the Potters threw. They had only been successful for the first time at Euphemia and Fleamont’s fiftieth wedding anniversary over the summer.</p><p>James grinned and stood up. He motioned for the teenagers to follow him around the corner of the library. A spiral staircase led up to a mezzanine on the second floor of the house near James’s bedroom. Four couches created a square around a round glass coffee table. Three bottles of Ogden’s sat on the table. Sirius flopped down onto one of the plush couches and stretched out. Remus pulled Marlene down into his lap on the one across from Sirius. James shook his head at the two boys, it was clear there was going to be some challenging in the coming weeks.</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Truth or Dare or Midnight Kiss?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“James, I – I don’t know,” Alice stumbled as she sat down next to Frank. She curled her silk clad legs underneath her body and leaned into Frank’s side.</p><p>“Live a little, Alice.” Marlene murmured. “It’s New Year’s and you’ll be seventeen in a few weeks.”</p><p>Alice flushed at the reprimand. Frank squeezed her hand reassuringly. A smile and nod of Alice’s head made Marlene grin triumphantly. Marlene grabbed one of the bottles off the table and insisted that each couple share a bottle. Frank grabbed the second one and whispered quietly to Alice that he would drink most of it for her.</p><p>“James and I are not a couple.” Sirius scowled across the table at Marlene. He grabbed the bottle anyways as James sank down onto the fourth couch at the end closest to Sirius.</p><p>“For tonight you two will be since neither of you brought dates to your own damn party.” Marlene’s words stung a little bit. James wished he had been able to bring Lily to the New Year’s party. Almost as much as he wished he could get the memory of that searing kiss out of his mind because he couldn’t bring Lily to the party. Sirius really had no excuse. Remus glared at the shaggy haired boy as he opened his mouth to say something that was most likely to be something about wishing Marlene were his date.</p><p>“Cheers! To a Happy New Year! May it bring you peace, love, and wealth!” Marlene took a deep swig of the whiskey and handed it to Remus. Sirius and Remus both had the bottles at their lips and were chugging. They held eye contact as they did so, neither wanted to be the first to break. Finally, Sirius passed the bottle to James as his throat burned something fierce. Remus grinned across the table like a wolf at his prey.</p><p>Alice coughed after her tiny sip. Marlene made her take a bigger gulp of it and laughed as Alice cringed at the taste and fire. The clock ticked closer to midnight as the teens drank themselves into a stupor. Remus and Sirius had silently issued a challenge. Which pair could finish off their bottle first. Alice and Frank sat back and sipped on their bottle slowly, watching the spectacle that was the three Marauders and Marlene. Everyone was more than a little drunk, including Alice.</p><p>Sirius slammed the emptied bottle down on to the table. He grinned at James and they bumped their fists together. Remus scowled and looked at Marlene, pretending to blame her for the fact that they had lost. In all fairness, they never stood a chance. While Remus’s tolerance for alcohol was high and so was Marlene’s, James and Sirius refused to accept that there were limits.</p><p>“I guess that means we lost, Frank,” Alice hiccupped and giggled. “Can we stop now?”</p><p>Surprisingly, Remus was the one to inform her that the night didn’t end until every pair finished their bottle. Alice looked like someone had killed a puppy. Everyone, including Frank, laughed at the face she pulled. James procured another bottle of whiskey from somewhere so that he and Sirius could keep drinking.</p><p>“I think it’s time to play a little game,” Marlene’s face was deliciously evil at this point. “So we can help poor Alice here finish off the bottle.”</p><p>Alice groaned and laid her head down on Frank’s shoulder. Marlene’s games were more cruel than fun. “Why can’t we just have a nice evening of dancing and music and food?” She crossed her arms over her chest and pouted like a child. This only made the other girl cackle.</p><p>“Who’s up for a round of truth or dare?” Alice muttered darkly at Marlene’s suggestion. This was always the older girl’s way of getting Alice to do things she was hesitant about. “You get to pick a truth, a dare, or a drink from the bottle. But once you pick you can’t go back, that means you’re either going to finish that bottle Alice or you’re going to play with me.”</p><p>Sirius liked this game. He grinned across the table Remus who had a darkness in his eyes. Things were about to get a lot more heated between the two boys and they both knew it. Marlene insisted that they sit around the coffee table on the floor to make it more intimate. This produced another grumble from drunk Alice because she had been quite comfortable where she was. The blonde charmed the empty bottle on the table so that it was forced to land on someone every time. “Who wants to spin the bottle first?”</p><p>James reached for the bottle on the table and effortlessly flicked it into a spin. It landed on Alice who turned to glare at Marlene. “You made it land on me on purpose!”</p><p>“I did not! Now pick!” Marlene gleefully shouted at the girl.</p><p>Truthfully, Alice didn’t want to pick any of the three options. She grumbled and looked around at her friends. She really wasn’t keen on drinking right now. Nor did she desire to choose dare, James was kind to her but he was a Marauder and that could only mean trouble. “Truth.”</p><p>James looked at Marlene to see if she would interject. Marlene held her hand out in front of Alice as if she were serving her up on a platter. “Alice, tell us where your favourite place to snog Frank is.”</p><p>The question made her uncomfortable but it wasn’t as awful as she had expected it to be. Frank nudged her, he knew full well where her favourite spot was and he wasn’t going to let her lie.</p><p>“Frank and I both have a free period on Tuesday afternoons. And his dormmates are all in Ancient Runes during it. I like to snog him in his dormitory.”</p><p>Marlene looked scandalized. “I didn’t know sweet little Alice had it in her. Your turn to spin it, sweetie.”</p><p>Alice glared at her. Frank had to prop her up so she could reach the bottle in the middle of the table without toppling over. The bottle did a few lazy turns and landed on Sirius. He grinned at her like he was going to devour her. “Dare.”</p><p>The girl threw her hands up. She didn’t know how to dare Sirius. “Can I have some help?” Alice gave a pleading look to Marlene.</p><p>“You’re allowed to ask one person for help if you take a drink.” Marlene wasn’t going easy on her friend.</p><p>Remus and James knew Sirius best so they were obviously the two she should ask for help from. Both were good choices. And both were looking at Alice waiting for her to ask one of them for help. “James?”</p><p>James grinned and turned to look at his best friend. “Padfoot. I dare you to go and waltz our mother one whole loop around the floor.”</p><p>Sirius gave James an equally evil grin and stood up. He was a little wobbly on his feet and a glimmer of hesitation swept across his face. The drunk teens followed Sirius down the hallway of the upper level until they reached the wide open space by the grand stairs in the foyer. Down below music played loudly and witches and wizards were whirling around the floor. Some were off to the side holding conversations and eating. Alice nudged Sirius as they reached the top of the stairs. With a deep breath, he sauntered down to the first floor, trying his hardest not to show how drunk he was. The five teens leaned on the bannister and watched as pulled Euphemia Potter into his arms and began spinning around the room with her. The dance ended as quickly as it had begun when Sirius stopped right where he had started.</p><p>The boy’s head spun furiously from the alcohol and the waltzing. He did his best to dash up the stairs. He tripped on the last step and crashed onto the second floor. The other teens dashed back down the hallway they had come. Sirius struggled to his feet and chased after them. Euphemia Potter watched them go. A younger parent might have been inclined to chastise the children for drinking but she felt they were old enough to learn how brutal hangovers could be.</p><p>The six teens crashed down around the round table again. Sirius bowed to the applause he got before he spun the bottle. It whipped round and round endlessly. It slowed and lazily spun around another half dozen times before stopping on Marlene.</p><p>Brown eyes stared down grey ones. “Dare.” Remus tensed a little beside her. Sirius caught his eye and raised his eyebrow ever so slightly. Another challenge to his friend. Remus scowled at him from across the table and lazily draped an arm around his girlfriend.</p><p>“Marlene McKinnon, I dare you to kiss the prettiest person in the room.” Everyone tensed a little bit. They all knew what Sirius was really daring her to do, he was challenging her and Remus by daring her to kiss him.</p><p>What Marlene did next shocked the five friends. She turned her face to Remus and gave him a seductive smirk. She scooted out from under his arm and Sirius looked gleeful. Marlene edged closer to Alice, away from Remus. She took her left hand and turned the girl’s face towards hers slowly. Marlene leaned in and locked lips with Alice, who sat there in shock. The temperature in the room seemed to raise ten degrees in that moment. When Marlene pulled away she turned her head and winked at Sirius. All the boys, Frank included, looked incredibly turned on by the girl on girl action.</p><p>“You did say ‘the prettiest,’ Sirius.” Marlene reached forward and spun the bottle hard. Round and round it whirled until it stopped on James.</p><p>The boy looked at Marlene skeptically. He had known her for so long that he felt he knew the inner workings of her mind, at least when she was drunk. He drummed his fingers on the table as he pondered what he should choose. He opened his mouth and then closed it, teasing Marlene. She certainly had the most dirt on him next to Sirius and she had just proven her mind could provide a creativity so chaotic. “Truth.”</p><p>The blonde grinned almost as wolfishly as Remus could. “Tell us in detail about the sex dream you had after Lily Evans snogged you in the Transfiguration classroom while you two were on your way back from Slughorn’s Christmas party.”</p><p>Oh but Marlene McKinnon could be a cruel girl. Sirius’s jaw dropped to the floor. Never had he heard a more specific or gut-wrenching truth question asked in the game. Alice was highly uncomfortable now. Not only had Marlene just kissed her full on the lips but now the conversation was turning to a topic she just couldn’t handle. She ducked her face into Frank’s shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his body, as if it was going to protect her from Marlene’s twisted pleasure. Remus had no idea how twisted his girlfriend’s mind really was until now. Four pairs of eyes rested on James.</p><p>James grinned at Marlene, impressed at her attempt to make him squirm. Fortunately for him he didn’t share a dormitory with her. “I can’t.”</p><p>“You don’t have a choice. You chose truth, Jamesie. Now spill.” Marlene leaned on the table.</p><p>“But you see Marlene, I actually can’t tell you about a sex dream I had after Slughorn’s party that night.” James leaned forward to match Marlene, “I didn’t sleep that night. So I didn’t have any dreams.”</p><p>It all became too much for Alice. She stood up quickly and fanned herself. She excused herself to the loo and made off down the hallway. Frank excused himself to go find a glass of water and something to eat. The three Marauders and Marlene were left sitting on the floor. The girl looked a bit angry at James for so skillfully evading her. Sirius was staring across the table where Marlene’s boobs had squished together a bit more in her dress while she leaned on the table. Remus was lost in thoughts about how devious and cruel his girlfriend was. James grinned knowingly at Marlene. The two had been playing mind games for as long as he could remember. He was impressed with how she had managed to wrap him into the one she was currently playing with Remus.</p><p>“You better be careful, Marlene.” James murmured from across the table. “Little girls who play with fire get their fingers burned.”</p><p>Years had passed since James had tried to curtail Marlene’s joy for risk-taking. “Don’t worry, little brother. I know what I’m doing.”</p><p>James shook his head and got up to stretch. “I’m not so little anymore. I wish you’d heed my advice.” He walked off down the hallway in search of something to put in his grumbling stomach.<br/>Sirius, Marlene, and Remus still sat on the floor. Marlene was fully in Remus’s lap now and Sirius was watching them from across the table. The girl was pleased with the effect she was having on them. She might finally get what she wanted from Remus and she’d get the payback she so desperately desired from Sirius. The boys were glaring at each across the table again. Marlene caught Sirius’s eye and smiled coyly at him before slowly turning her face to Remus and pulling him into an intoxicating kiss. He didn’t even try to stifle his groan. It was in that moment that Sirius realized Marlene had been toying with him all night. He growled in the back of his throat as he stood up. He yanked the bottle of firewhiskey off the floor and marched off after James.</p><hr/><p>Lily sat by her bedroom window looking up at the stars. She wondered how Marlene and Alice were enjoying the Potters’ New Year’s party. Downstairs her sister was having one that Lily hadn’t been invited to. Not that she had really wanted to go anyways. Her parents had invited her to go out with them to a party they were going to but Lily had declined. She would have felt odd being surrounded by all those adults, asking her questions about a school she knew she couldn’t tell them about. Midnight was closing in and all that her mind could think about was that kiss she had shared with James Potter two weeks ago. She just couldn’t get her mind to stop replaying that moment. Something had pushed her forward to him.</p><p>“Stop it, Lily! You’re being ridiculous!” She had started her pacing again.</p><p>To her, James had always been a bit like Peter Pan. Lost in Neverland. Causing mischief. And he was never going to grow up. She couldn’t even convince herself that she believed this anymore. At some point James had stopped being Peter. He was growing up and she felt it tugging at her. Lily was, in all honesty, terrified. The world around her kept growing darker and she was powerless to stop it. It was in that moment that Lily realized she didn’t want to grow up. She wanted to stay a child just a little bit longer. She wasn’t ready for the responsibility that was going to be thrust upon her.</p><p>Cheers from downstairs echoed around her room. She looked at the clock on the wall as the church bells chimed midnight. She slumped down by her window again. She looked around her room. At the stuffed bear sitting on her bed. The bookshelves filled to capacity with wonderful books, muggle and magical. She pulled her copy of Peter Pan off her shelf. Battered and worn but one of her most prized possessions. A tap at the window brought her attention back to the darkness outside.</p><p>Lily grabbed her wand from the dresser and crossed the room cautiously. She laughed at herself when she realized that it was just an owl delivering a letter. Confused as to whom would be writing to her now she unlatched the window and opened it for the owl to fly through. Aristotle, her own owl, was out hunting. The beautiful barn owl perched on Aristotle’s cage and Lily pulled the owl pellets down from a shelf. She filled the dish and put it within reach of the owl before carefully untying the letter from its leg.</p><p>
  <em>Lily,</em>
  <br/>
  <em>Please don’t toss this note in the fire before you read it all the way through!</em>
</p><p>Lily rolled her eyes. She would recognize this script anywhere. Despite not having received letters from James for over six months she still knew his hand writing. She recognized the owl now even though she hadn’t when she’d let it in. She couldn’t read this now. Her head wasn’t all there. Lily didn’t want to toss it though either. Something made her want to keep it even though she didn’t want to read it right now.</p><p>Petunia rapped hard on Lily’s bedroom door. Informing her that she had five minute to come downstairs and take a glass of champagne up to her room before she would be quarantined again until the morning. Lily heard her sister stomp back down the stairs. Lily tucked the note inside the book. She dropped the book onto one of the bookshelves and raced down the stairs at the promise of champagne.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Holiday Hangover</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily watched from the window of the train compartment as her fellow sixth-year Gryffindors made their way down the platform. She saw Sirius and James first, who looked like they hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep the night before. Alice came next. The poor girl almost looked lost. Lily leaned her head out the window to get Alice’s attention and stepped down on to the platform to help her carry the trunk onto the train. Marlene looked the worst. Her blonde hair was pulled up into a messy bun and she didn’t have a smidge of makeup on her face. Dark circles hung under her eyes and she didn’t even bother trying to carry her suitcase onto the train. She pulled her wand out of her back pocket and levitated it through the open door. Marlene slumped down into her seat and closed her eyes. Alice gave a sheepish smile to her friend and sat down next to the window.</p><p>“Did I miss something?” Lily asked them confused. Both looked like they had been chewed up and spat out. Alice blushed slightly and mumbled something about the Potters’ New Year’s party. She smiled when Frank stepped into the compartment. Lily moved so Frank could sit down next to Alice.</p><p>A loud crash came from the compartment entrance. Remus and Sirius had both tried to enter and pull their trunks in at the same time. The taller of the two Marauders pushed the other backwards. Remus pulled his trunk into the compartment as Sirius toppled over his.</p><p>Marlene gave a groggy welcome to her boyfriend and smirked at the other boy as he righted himself. Lily knew that if Remus and Sirius were planning on sharing the compartment James wouldn’t be far behind them. Peter knocked into Sirius as he charged into the compartment excitedly. Sirius just managed to stay on his feet as his plump friend knocked into him. A growl was low in his throat and Peter stepped around him muttering apologies. He was looking forward to hearing all about the party his mother wouldn’t let him go to. When the dust settled Lily found herself sitting next to Sirius with the only empty seat left next to her.</p><p>Remus couldn’t hide the grin as James walked in. It was almost as if the Marauders had orchestrated the seating arrangements today. Lily blushed slightly when she looked up at James as he entered. As he sat down Lily opened her book and tried to block out the chuckles. She elbowed Sirius sharply in the ribs but didn’t look up.</p><p>“Lily, could you budge up a bit? I don’t have a lot of room.” Sirius murmured to her as he shifted closer to her.</p><p>Lily clenched her jaw as Sirius pushed her closer to James. She was firmly sandwiched between the two of them. It made her feel a little bit better when James tensed next to her. He obviously wasn’t overenthusiastic about this arrangement either. “Cut it out, Padfoot. I know Peter smells but you don’t need to crush Lily to get away from him.”</p><p>Peter looked offended, clearly not in on the meaning of the reprimand. Sirius scooted away just a little bit and looked at Lily. “I’m sorry if I crushed your petals, Lily.”</p><p>“It’s fine, Sirius.” Lily sighed and kept her eyes on her book. She could feel the heat rising in her face as the train rumbled and began to move forward. James had told Sirius to stop. James Potter had told Sirius to stop doing something. James Potter had told Sirius Black to stop making Lily uncomfortable. Hell was beginning to freeze over.</p><p>“Someone tell me about the party! I’m dying here!” Peter exclaimed. Everyone’s attention shifted from Lily to recounting tales of the night. Peter kept interrupting people as they told stories. Lily kept an ear open but focused on her book. She was a little bit jealous that her friends had spent that time together. They all looked exhausted from the shenanigans two nights ago but seemed happier for it. Memories had been made and she had missed out on them.</p><p>Remus and Lily left to start their rounds. James stood up and closed the door behind them. He pulled the window cover down and rounded on the remainder of the group. “Seriously? Don’t even think it, Sirius.”</p><p>Sirius grinned at his friend, that joke would never get old. “Oh, come on, James. She needs a little push.”</p><p>“Not from you.” James was angry. He was angry with his friends. He was angry with Lily. And he was angry with himself. “Let her figure it out on her it own. Stop pushing her at me. It’s only going to make her run further away.”</p><p>Alice agreed with James on this one and she seemed to be the only one in the room aside from Frank, who didn’t take a side at all. Marlene shook her head. How could her friend be so oblivious? If they didn’t start pushing Lily in his direction she was never gonna get there.</p><p>When the prefects returned a half hour later, James had slid into the seat next Sirius letting Lily have the corner. She wouldn’t meet his eye but he saw the small smile she had as she opened her book again. Remus exchanged glances with Marlene as he sat down to find out what had happened while they were gone. She rolled her eyes as he sat down beside her. Remus took away that James had been a bit dramatic about something.</p><hr/><p>The professors took no time at all in dumping school work on their students. The amount of work piled on to the students and the frigid weather outside the castle’s walls put them into a stupor for the first two weeks of classes. Frank spent more and more time with Alice and the sixth-years. There were a few seventh-year boys he still spent time with but he was no longer friends with Colin and Aiden. This was something of a surprise to Lily, she had always figured Frank and Colin were a lot closer than they actually had been. The Marauders also spent a considerable amount more time with the girls than they had before the holidays, much to the annoyance of one Lily Evans. Not only that but she was beginning to feel ostracized from her friends.</p><p>Marlene had Remus and Alice had Frank and Lily often found herself getting cut out. There were a number of evenings that her two friends went off to spend time with their boyfriends, leaving Lily on her own. It wasn’t like she wasn’t friends with the other girls in her house. They just weren’t Alice and Marlene.</p><p>It was one of these nights near the end of the month where Lily had curled up into a corner of the Common Room. She had her Transfiguration book in her lap and was trying to wrap her head around the theory of human transformations. Lily looked up from her book as Marlene stormed into the Common Room headed for the dormitory. The slamming of a door echoed loudly down the stairs. Lily sighed and stood up. She passed an equally angry Remus on her way to see what was wrong. At least this meant less James and Sirius in Lily’s life for the foreseeable future.</p><p>“Mar?” Lily closed the door behind her slowly.</p><p>“Can you just leave me alone?” Marlene snapped at Lily. The blonde closed the curtains around her bed.</p><p>Lily could hear the sobs wracking her body. “Marlene, what happened?”</p><p>“Get. Out!” Marlene screamed at Lily.</p><p>Lily sank back down into her chair in the Common Room five minutes later after being yelled at for a fifth time to get out. Sirius appeared from his own dormitory. He looked a little shocked and slightly pleased with himself. A loud crash came from overhead and moments later Peter came scurrying out of the boys’ dormitory. James wasn’t far behind him though he looked a little more composed than Peter did.</p><p>Sucking up her pride, Lily crossed the room to the couches the three boys had seated themselves on. James looked up as she approached. He was a little confused that she was voluntarily approaching him. Bonus points because she didn’t look like she was ready to kill him.</p><p>“What’s going on between Marlene and Remus?” Lily didn’t ask if she could join them, she just sank down onto the couch next to Sirius.</p><p>James very pointedly glared at Sirius. “I don’t know. Sirius, what do you think?”</p><p>Lily was confused. What could Sirius Black have to do with Remus and Marlene?</p><p>“Look, this isn’t my fault.” Sirius tried to wipe the half smile from his face. “They didn’t want the same thing and it’s not my fault that I got dragged into it.”</p><p>Peter snickered as Sirius struggled to get the smile off his face. And then Sirius was laughing and Lily couldn’t figure out what was going on. She gave a pleading look to James to tell her why her best friend was up in the dormitory sobbing and why Remus was destroying his. James looked around to see if there was anyone who was within hearing distance. Remus would never care if anyone found out but Marlene would certainly strangle him.</p><p>“You can’t tell Marlene I told you.” There was an uncharacteristic seriousness to James’s tone. He beckoned for Lily to come closer.</p><p>Lily scooted down the couch so James could lower his voice just in case. “I promise I won’t.”</p><p>James didn’t really know how to explain it. It really didn’t need a lot of explaining. Actually, it was rather simple it was just difficult to say. The entire affair was alien to James. The problem was that they were all growing up too fast and not everything was equal anymore. “Marlene and Remus shagged after the New Year’s party.”</p><p>While it made Lily uncomfortable, it was not altogether surprising. There was certainly some shock factor to it but Marlene was the oldest of the sixth-year Gryffindors and had always been ready to take a risk. She pushed boundaries and that was why Lily had become such good friends with her. Not because she pushed them the way James or Sirius did but she liked to dive headfirst. Lily found the girl’s tenacity admirable.</p><p>“Sirius, pushed Remus’s buttons all night long.” Sirius squawked at this and tried to defend himself saying he had done no such thing. James silenced him with a look. “I don’t think Remus was ready for it–”</p><p>“First of all, Remus let Marlene weave a web around him – and me – all night long,” Sirius had scooted down and was closer to Lily. He held up his hand to prevent James from cutting him off. “You know that it’s true. I’m not blaming Marlene in any way. She wanted to shag Remus. I admire her for knowing what she wants and being willing to go and get it. But Marlene wants that physical intimacy to be a big part of the relationship. Remus doesn’t.”</p><p>“But he always seems so cuddly.” Lily was a little impressed with Sirius’s analysis of the relationship.</p><p>Sirius waved his hands. “Remus is a cuddler, for sure. But he’s not a drop everything and snog kind of guy either. My point is that the two of them are incompatible in terms of what they want.”</p><p>“And Remus feels damn guilty about shagging her.” James muttered.</p><p>This comment produced an eye roll from Sirius. “He shouldn’t. She pursued him.”</p><p>Lily still wasn’t sure where Remus and Marlene stood. Or what Sirius had to do with them. “So, did they just have an argument or did they break it off?”</p><p>“Marlene broke up with Remus because he told he didn’t want their relationship to be only physical.” James told her. “Remus knows that Sirius is a Gryffinwhore and he wouldn’t let either of them forget it.”</p><p>Alice walked up to the group carrying a big stack of books from the library. She was incredibly surprised that Lily was having a conversation with James and Sirius. Her face scrunched up in concern when she saw how serious her friends looked. Lily filled her friend in quietly and stopped her when she moved to go check on Marlene. It was clear that their friend wasn’t ready to talk about it and Lily wanted to respect that.</p><p>Marlene didn’t eat breakfast the next morning. She arrived in the Potions class as the bell rang and slipped into her seat next to Alice silently. Remus tensed beside Lily as he saw Marlene out of the corner of his eye. Snape and Rosier saw this and snickered at the Gryffindors. They always enjoyed when there was trouble in paradise with the Gryffindors.</p><p>“Was she that bad of a shag, Lupin?” Rosier shouted across the dungeon. “Or did you finish too early?”</p><p>Remus slammed his fist down on the table. Alice was whispering calming words to Marlene and put her hand on her arm. Slughorn walked in and began the lesson, completely oblivious to the stare down between his students. The NEWT students set to make their potions while Slughorn sat at his desk marking essays. Rosier and Snape kept making lewd gestures at both Remus and Marlene. Lily was surprised that Marlene was holding her temper as well as she was. Remus was having a more difficult time. He mangled the third set of roots he was trying to cut and Lily told him to let her do it.</p><p>“Hey, Rosier,” Sirius shouted from his seat. “Cute undies, did your mummy buy them for you?”</p><p>Heads turned to see both Snape and Rosier sitting in nothing but their boxers. Both boys looked mortified and Sirius couldn’t wipe the sadistic grin from his face. Laughter erupted around the room as the students noticed that the two Slytherin’s robes had vanished. Slughorn looked up aghast at the two boys. He sent them hurrying from the dungeons to put clothing on. Sirius grinned at James who grinned back.</p><p>Marlene and Remus both glared at Sirius. Lily raised her eyebrows at him and James. Sirius pitched his eyebrow when they made eye contact. He was almost begging for Lily to yell at him for making the boys’ robes vanish. She sighed and shook her head. She’d chew him out for it later when she wasn’t worried about Marlene spontaneously combusting.</p><p>By lunch the entire school knew about Marlene and Remus. Whispers followed Marlene through the halls. No one seemed to bother Remus. Some of the older male students congratulated him on shagging Marlene. Those same students asked Marlene if she wanted a go with them later that night. Lily and Alice flanked Marlene all day and made sure that any boy that commented on Marlene regretted it.</p><p>The Gryffindor boys were almost as bad as the Slytherins were to Marlene. The girls were headed back to the tower after their Transfiguration lesson and ran into a group of seventh-year Gryffindors. Colin was bold enough to comment that he had picked the wrong girl. Lily lunged at him. She was going to rip him to pieces. Marlene caught the back of Lily’s robes just in time. Some of the girls muttered comments about Lily being a prude and Marlene being a slag. All of sudden Colin was on the floor and James Potter was slamming his fists into his face.</p><p>Girls started shrieking and a ring of students formed around the two boys. Marlene pulled Lily back against the wall as more students surrounded them. Younger students were shouting that they couldn’t see as the sixth- and seventh-years were in the way. Sirius finally managed to pull James off Colin as McGonagall fought her way through the students. Aiden and Andrew helped lift Colin up of the floor. His face was bloodied and swollen.</p><p>“Mr. Potter!” McGonagall was furious. She was startled to see that two students from her own house had been brawling. Even though it was a lot more one-sided than that. “You will come with me at once. Mr. Boone, Mr. Connors, if you would kindly assist Mr. Smith to the hospital wing.”</p><p>James sat in Professor McGonagall’s office with an angry scowl. He glared at the desk in front of him as the professor sat down across from him. He didn’t care that he was probably going to have detention for the next week. He would have been fine if McGonagall had told him he wasn’t allowed to play in the Quidditch match in two weeks. The look on her face was pure disappointment and it nearly broke him.</p><p>“Explain yourself.” She was livid. “No. Mr. Potter, how dare you put your hands on another student. On another Gryffindor at that. You’ll meet for detention tonight and every night for the next week.”</p><hr/><p>Civil war broke out among the Gryffindor students that week. No one had ever seen the house as divided as it was. Especially with a Quidditch match against Ravenclaw coming up. The older students became completely fragmented and the younger students worked to make themselves scarce to prevent getting hexed on accident. It had been a long time since students had seen Lily Evans as angry as she was. Whenever she saw Colin or James she looked at them menacingly. Marlene was equally as angry with the boys. Alice and Frank were super careful not be too affectionate around their friends for fear of setting the bomb off.</p><p>“They make me so angry!” Lily screamed one night as the girls were going to bed.</p><p>Alice, Beatrice, and Mary braced themselves for the rant. Every night for the past four days it had almost been clockwork. Either Lily or Marlene would make a statement in some variation of how angry boys made them and it would just snowball from there.</p><p>“I can’t believe them! Acting like we’re delicate flowers one minute and then hurling insults the next!” Marlene yanked her nightgown on over her head.</p><p>“You know what I want for my birthday!” Lily yelled at Marlene as threw the covers back on her bed. “I want those boys to be silent for the entire bloody day!”</p><p>Both girls stopped and looked at each other. That wouldn’t be a bad idea. The two girls sat down on their beds and began scheming how they could actually make this work. Their three roommates took advantage of their scheming to go to sleep earlier than they had for almost a week. They really should have stopped Lily and Marlene but right now sleep was far more important than a plan to keep the Gryffindor boys from harassing them and each other for a day.</p><hr/><p>Lily and Marlene sat down at breakfast Saturday morning with smiles on their faces. They knew that today would be one of peace and quiet. Lily poured herself a cup of tea and grabbed an orange from the basket on the table. Alice was pleasantly surprised at how much she enjoyed Lily and Marlene’s plan.</p><p>Sirius Black sat down across from Lily was a huge grin on his face. It was Lilyflower’s seventeenth birthday and he was excited to see how much of an ass James was going to make of himself today. Lily grinned smugly as Sirius opened his mouth to wish her a happy birthday only to find he had no voice.</p><p>“What’s the problem, Black? Cat got your tongue?” Marlene cackled as she grabbed a piece of toast and began to butter it.</p><p>Lily and Marlene were in stitches as panic crept onto the boy’s face. Alice grinned too. She was glad to see her friends happy even if it was at the expense of Sirius. James came up to join them, surprised that Sirius was sitting with the three girls and astonished that they seemed so cheerful and happy with him there. He smiled at Lily and wished her a happy birthday but no sound came out. This threw Lily and Marlene into another fit of giggles.</p><p>“Have you taken a vow of silence for my birthday, Potter?” Lily snorted. “How kind of you! Probably the best birthday gift I’ve gotten in years!”</p><p>Remus and Peter joined them five minutes later and were as confused as James had been. They sat down and looked at the girls who were exceptionally happy and then at the two boys who were scowling across the table. Remus asked what was going on and found he couldn’t talk. He looked at James and Sirius who pointed across the table at Marlene and Lily. Peter tested his voice only to find he had been silenced as well.</p><p>“Who knew how peaceful life could be when boys can’t talk?” Marlene moved the coffee out of reach from Sirius. He opened his mouth to ask her to pass it to him and scowled. He began to gesture wildly at Marlene to give him the coffee. “I’m sorry, Black. I can’t understand all your arm waving.”</p><p>Colin and his friends came over. Presumably it was to mock the arm waving of Sirius and make snide remarks about Lily and Marlene and the boys they were seated with. Lily grinned at him when he tried to comment. He was petrified to find he couldn’t speak. Aiden and Andrew couldn’t say a word either.</p><p>“My first day of adulthood is certainly shaping up to be a good one.” The girls excused themselves from the wild gestures of the boys. Marlene and Lily linked arms as they walked out of the Great Hall. Their faces streaked with pure bliss.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Wedding Planning</h2></a>
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    <p>“Who cares about bloody Valentine’s Day anyways?” Marlene was a little bit sour.</p><p>The school had been decked out in pink, white, and red ribbons. Girls giggled all over the castle. Professors broke up more than one couple snogging in broom cupboards and dark corners. Lily and Marlene were sitting in the library as Madam Pince kicked the third couple out. They had foolishly thought the library would provide them with a retreat from all the lovey dovey emotions.</p><p>“A large portion of the student body.” Lily didn’t bother to look up at who the librarian was kicking out this time.</p><p>Marlene scowled when she saw Alice and Frank coming towards them. The blonde told them that the table was a Valentine’s free zone and under no circumstance were they allowed to exhibit any public displays of affection. Frank laughed and informed Marlene that he wanted to be hers and Lily’s valentine in addition to Alice’s. He pulled two large Honeyduke’s chocolate bars out of his bag. He had Alice tell him what their favourite kind of chocolate was and had bought them that weekend during the Hogsmeade visit.</p><p>Lily couldn’t even pretend to be angry with Alice’s boyfriend. She accepted the chocolate and tucked it away in her bag. Not only was it chocolate, it was dark chocolate with almonds. She thanked Frank as he sat down beside her. Marlene felt a little guilty about her previous comments when she thanked him.</p><p>“It’s okay, Marlene.” Frank laughed at the conflict on her face. “I won’t hold your dislike for February 14<sup>th</sup> against you.”</p><hr/><p>The post arrived while Lily was translating a complicated sequence of runes. Aristotle dropped a letter in her lap and nipped her hand affectionately. She smiled at her screech owl. Her mother’s loopy handwriting was on the envelope. The letter provided details about the progress of Petunia’s wedding planning. Enclosed was a picture of the taffeta nightmare Petunia had chosen as a wedding dress. Another picture showed the bridesmaid dress Lily was going to have to wear.</p><p>“Letter from home?” James sat down with her. Marlene and Alice had a free period that morning and were choosing to sleep in. So did James for that matter, the only class that was scheduled for the period was Muggle Studies.</p><p>Lily knew she could be a brat to him or she could act like an adult. “Yeah.”</p><p>“You don’t look overly enthusiastic about it,” James observed. “Bad news?”</p><p>“My sister got engaged at Christmas and the wedding is set for Easter.” Lily handed him the two photographs. “These are the dresses she has chosen for us to wear.”</p><p>The girl informed him that he was allowed to laugh. “I’m going to look like a giant pink cupcake on fire.”</p><p>James tried to hide his smile but did a poor job of it. He told Lily that she would be the cutest cupcake on fire the world had ever seen. The girl blushed fiercely at this. That evil voice in her mind told he she should keep flirting with James. It was kind of fun. The reasonable part of her brain told her to stop blushing now which only made her blush harder.</p><p>“Good morning!” Remus looked chipper today. “What are these?” The tall boy picked up the photographs from the table and tried to hide his terror.</p><p>“Oh give me those!” Lily’s snatched them from his hand as he sat down. “I don’t have much of a choice in the matter.”</p><p>“The letter also says you need to bring a date,” Remus pointed out as he read the letter from upside down.</p><p>Lily groaned and looked at them. She had intentionally left that out when James asked her about the letter. She glared at Remus who grinned back.</p><p>“So, who are you going to take?” Remus asked cheekily as he poured himself a cup of tea.</p><p>“You. Remus, you can be my date since you are obviously so involved in it.” Lily flipped the tables on him.</p><p>The boy chuckled, “You don’t want to take me. I’d be a horrible date. Can’t dance to save my life.”</p><p>James ruffled up his hair nervously. He caught the flicker from Lily’s eyes as they darted to look at him and then back to Remus. She muttered something under her breath that the boys didn’t catch. Remus asked her to talk a little louder, it was hard to understand her mumbling. Lily glared at him but didn’t repeat herself.</p><p>“You know who’s a good dancer though?” Remus looked pointedly at James.</p><p>“I am also a talented dancer, Moony.” Sirius grinned as he sat down next to Lily. “Why are we talking about dancing?”</p><p>“Lily needs a date to her sister’s wedding at Easter.” Remus filled Sirius in. He stealthily stole the photographs from Lily and handed them to Sirius.</p><p>“Thank you, Remus.” Lily growled as she tried to grab the photos back from Sirius. He held them out to the other side and kept looking at them.</p><p>“Merlin, Lily! Are you adopted? Your sister looks like a horse!”</p><p>Three people sighed collectively. Sirius was not known for his tact or sensitivity. “Thank you, Sirius.”</p><p>“I am a wonderful dancer though.” Sirius grabbed the toast off Lily’s plate.</p><p>Lily snorted and took the toast back from Sirius before he could take a bite out of it. “I find that hard to believe.”</p><p>“Actually Lily, Sirius is probably the most skilled dancer at this school.” James grinned at how incredulous Lily was.</p><p>Sirius informed her that he had been instructed in etiquette and decorum from the moment he could talk and walk. No son of the Noble House of Black was going to bring shame upon the family for not knowing how to waltz, foxtrot, tango. He knew a salad fork from a dinner fork. He winked at Lily and told her to close her mouth before she caught a fly. “James isn’t a bad dancer himself though. No match for me, but he’s decent.”</p><hr/><p>Students laughed as the two suits of armour body slammed each other and the ringing of metal echoed off the stone walls. James and Sirius both had their wands out and were directing the two suits. Remus and Peter were standing pointing up with their wands, numbers glowing above them. Another resounding clash and cheers rang through the crowd. It was Friday afternoon before dinner and the boys had gotten bored.</p><p>A handful of prefects were standing off to one side in a heated discussion. Did they try to put a stop to it? Remus was a prefect. They couldn’t exactly reprimand him. Neither the head boy nor head girl were anywhere in sight either. The fifth-year Ravenclaw prefect jumped as a particularly loud boom echoed.</p><p>“I should have gotten three points for that, Peter!” Sirius hollered over James’s laughter.</p><p>The prefects were about to intervene when they saw a very peeved McGonagall storming down the hallway. The crowd of students fled before she could tell them all off. James caught sight of McGonagall first.</p><p>“Code M! I repeat, Code M!” James called out, his friends turned to look at McGonagall.</p><p>“Scramble!” Sirius called. At this, the four boys each took off in a different direction. James and Sirius ran directly at McGonagall, crossed paths, high-fived, and then took off down the same hallway away from each other.</p><p>Professor McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose. The group of prefects were still standing nearby. She looked at them with an eyebrow raised and they too took off at a run. She muttered something about boys and zoos and being too old for chasing them.</p><hr/><p>Lily was sitting alone at the back of the library when she heard running. It was pretty empty considering it was a Friday afternoon. Sirius Black screeched to a halt and sat down at her table. He was panting and trying to catch my breath. Lily held her hand up before he could talk.</p><p>“I don’t want to know.” Lily shook head at him as he tried again. “I have been enjoying not getting angry at you and I don’t want us to ruin our streak. Please don’t tell me.”</p><p>“Are you telling me you like being my friend, Lilyflower?” Sirius grinned as she rolled her eyes.</p><p>“That’s not what I said at all.” Lily continued working on her essay.</p><p>“Okay, fine. I’ll go with you to Horsie’s wedding.” Sirius rocked his chair back onto two legs and looked at her.</p><p>Lily laughed and couldn’t help but smile at Sirius. She could only imagine what her sister would say if she brought him to the wedding. If what James and Remus had told her was true, Sirius would be the perfect choice as a date. He would probably make the entire boring affair much more enjoyable. She was actually considering taking him has her date. The Lily Evans from last summer was screaming at her to run while she still could. There was no way Sirius Black wouldn’t cause a scene.</p><p>“Better be careful, I might just take you up on your offer.” Lily laughed at the cheeky wink Sirius gave her.</p><hr/><p>James threw his shoe at Sirius. “I don’t get it. You’ve convinced Lily to take you as her date to her sister’s wedding?”</p><p>Sirius shrugged his shoulders and threw the shoe back at James. “I’ve been telling you for years that women just can’t resist me. Not my fault you didn’t believe me.”</p><p>“But this is Lily. She hates you.” James sat down on his bed stumped.</p><p>“No, mate.” Sirius laughed. “She hates yelling at me. She said so herself.”</p><p>Remus was growing tired of all the Lily talk. “I’m bored. Let’s plan a prank.”</p><p>Sirius gasped and held his hand above his heart. “Mr. Prefect wants to play a prank? Oh, what is this world coming to?”</p><p>Both James and Remus rolled their eyes at the dramatization. Remus kindly reminded Sirius that all the best pranks were his ideas and that despite any guilt he felt afterwards it didn’t make pulling pranks any less fun for him. It was like solving a puzzle. What were the rules and where were the loop holes in said rules. It was a matter of intellect. This time James and Sirius rolled their eyes. Remus liked to pretend that he didn’t get the same type of enjoyment out of playing pranks but he absolutely did.</p><p>“Alright, Moony. If you’re so good at coming up with pranks, what are we going to do?” Sirius watching the cogs turn in Remus’s brain. It was always a delight to see his mind work in twisted ways.</p><p>“I know just what we’re going to do!” Remus murmured after a few minutes. He crossed to Sirius’s trunk and threw it open. He pulled out Sirius’s entire stock of fireworks and smirked. “I think it’s time we reminded everyone of how chaotic the Marauders can truly be.”</p><p>Everyone was just tucking in for dinner on Sunday night. The tables were laden with trays and tureens of mashed potatoes and roast, gravy and peas. The Great Hall was filled with the buzz of students discussing classes, Quidditch, the House Cup standings. About fifteen minutes into dinner and a handful of Gryffindors noticed the absence of four boys. McGonagall was still annoyed with them for the suits of armour the afternoon before. She had been doing her best to keep her eye on them all day. At about twenty minutes into dinner, McGonagall realized that the boys who kept adding gray hairs to her head weren’t present. She thought about it a moment longer and came to the realization that she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of them all day long. She was about to comment their absence to Dumbledore when a bang sounded from the entrance hall.</p><p>Students all around their hall stopped talking as the bangs grew louder and more numerous. The doors to the Great Hall were thrown open and McGonagall saw her mischief makers throw themselves to the floor. Rubber balls the size of fists were flying in every which direction and bouncing off surfaces. There were fireworks going too. McGonagall’s face paled as it dawned on her that the fireworks had been stuck into the balls making their flight erratic and chaotic.</p><p>“Albus! Do something!” McGonagall cried as she ducked out of the way of bouncing ball.</p><p>Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled as he looked around at the beautiful chaos in the hall. A huge smile stretched across his face and he was clapping his hands. McGonagall scowled at him. He patted her shoulder and waved his wand. All movement in the hall stopped and students who had ducked under the tables peered out carefully.</p><p>“Misters Potter, Lupin, Black, and Pettigrew, if you’d please.” Professor McGonagall had a difficult time keeping her voice even. The four boys walked up to the front of the hall clapping each other on the back and grinning. McGonagall and Dumbledore escorted them into an ante-chamber off to the side. “Explain.”</p><p>“We wanted to see what would happen if you put a firework inside a rubber ball.” Sirius told her grinning.</p><p>“It was an experiment for Muggle Studies.” James added without batting an eyelash. “They bounce off of things you see. We were curious to see if fireworks would affect the angles that they would bounce at.”</p><p>McGonagall opened her mouth to chastise them when Remus cut her off. “Professor, we looked at the rules in Mr. Filch’s office earlier today. There are no rules about using fireworks to better understand Muggle artifacts.”</p><p>The professor was tight-lipped. She wracked her brain for a rule that she could throw out at them but couldn’t.</p><p>“He’s right, Minerva. There are no rules on this.” Dumbledore winked at James. He shooed them back out to their dinner. “Imagine what this school would be like without their exuberance and curiousity.”</p><p>“Peaceful. Quiet. Calm?” McGonagall muttered as she watched the retreating backs of her boys.</p><p>“Minerva, we need laughter to fill these halls.” Dumbledore sighed. “Especially at times like these. Let them remain boys a little longer.”</p><hr/><p>Lily rolled her eyes as the boys walked in to the Common Room. Sirius winked at her and gave a grin. She huffed and shook her head. They must all have been dropped on their heads as babies. It was the only logical reason for the madness within. But she wasn’t in the mood to deal with them. Nearly having her head blown off but a bouncing firework at dinner after having her heart torn out again that morning at breakfast had given her a maddening headache and she knew that yelling at the Marauders was just going to make it worse.</p><p><em>Or you think that the prank at dinner was actually rather clever</em>, that voice was back again. Lily told herself that she was going mad. Spending the amount of time with those boys was making her mad. <em>They didn’t even get in trouble for it.</em></p><p>Lily growled and grabbed her book off the couch. She stormed off to her bed where she didn’t have to hear the laughter. All the while she was yelling at the voice her head to cut it out. She scowled at the letter that was left on her bed from that morning. She just couldn’t find respite from the world around her. The only good thing that had come from the note saying her father was beginning chemotherapy again was that Petunia’s wedding would be delayed until the end of the summer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Nothing Can Stop Quidditch</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>Chapter Sixteen: Nothing Can Stop Quidditch</b>
</p>
<p>March came in like a lion that year. Outside the castle, snow was falling thick and heavy as students prepared to bundle up for the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Wind howled through the halls. The Gryffindor team was sitting together at the request of James, he didn’t want anyone getting distracted today.</p>
<p>The post was just arriving as Lily sank into her seat next to Marlene. “Anything news-worthy?” Lily reached for the pumpkin juice.</p>
<p>Marlene didn’t reply, she was looking at the <em>Daily Prophet</em> in horror. When she didn’t get a response Lily turned and looked over her friend’s shoulder. An older man that looked a lot like James was on the front page of the <em>Prophet</em>. The man in the picture was putting his hand up as he was being escorted into an office. The headline read <em>Fleamont Potter, Esteemed Potion-Maker, Narrowly Avoids Attack by Death Eaters</em>. Tears were in the corners of Marlene’s eyes.</p>
<p>Professor McGonagall was walking quickly down the hall towards James. She tried to keep the worry from her face but it wasn’t hard to see that something was wrong. Half the hall was whispering and throwing glances at James who hadn’t bothered to look at the paper that morning. Reviewing his playbook seemed more important.</p>
<p>“Mr. Potter, if you would come with me please?” McGonagall looked at him and Sirius, trying to figure out if she should have the other boy join them.</p>
<p>“Whatever it is, Professor, I promise you we had nothing to do with it. I swear.” James was panicked. She wouldn’t try to prevent him from playing a Quidditch game for a prank that he hadn’t even pulled this time. She had never stopped him playing when he did pull the prank, let alone something that he had nothing to do with.</p>
<p>“Mr. Black, you can come too.” McGonagall ushered them from their seats and out of the hall. Students craned their necks to get a look of them. Marlene climbed out of her seat, racing down the hall to catch up to McGonagall and the two boys. Lily picked up the newspaper and began to read the article.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James sat and stared at McGonagall. They were sitting in the staff room at a large table. Marlene was crying softly into Sirius’s shoulder, who had a look of disbelief on his face. Dumbledore had joined them. He had a grave look on his face but didn’t say anything. McGonagall began to say that James – and Sirius – need not play in the game today if the shock was too much.</p>
<p>“Not play Quidditch?” James’s disbelief was unmatchable. “Professor, that’s what they want! They want to disrupt our lives. Seep into every corner so that we can’t live our lives how we want to! I’m going to play today – and so is Sirius – and we’re going to win because I will not let my life be dictated by sadistic bastards who are trying to destroy the world that I love and the people that I love!”</p>
<p>By the end of his rant, James was standing. His chair had been knocked to the floor in his anger. He twirled around and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Marlene swiped at her tears furiously. Sirius told McGonagall that he was going to play too and followed his best friend out. McGonagall watched two of her favourite boys become young men in that moment and it broke her heart.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Despite the inclement weather, most of the school turned out for the match. More than one first-year got knocked down into the snow by the wind on the way to the Quidditch pitch. Students were placing bets on how the news in the <em>Daily Prophet</em> that morning would impact the Gryffindor team. The general consensus was they would be fiercer than usual. James and Sirius had led their pride from the hall and into the snow.</p>
<p>Lily had worked a tricky bit of magic to create a bubble round her friends to keep them from being buffeted in the face by snow. The group also had a few jars of charmed fire to keep them warm. Butterflies swarmed in her stomach as the Gryffindor team flew onto the pitch and did a loop. Why was she blushing so fiercely when James flew past their seats. Stop it! She told herself. None of her friends seemed to notice. Marlene was still rattled by the paper and the rest of their group seemed equally on edge.</p>
<p>One of the Hufflepuff beaters knocked a bludger straight for James’s head. Lily cried out as it almost hit its target. Remus peered sideways at Lily in the stands. She was more vocal today about James and Sirius - particularly James - than she normally was. Her voice was louder than usual after he pulled his barrel roll trick and scored.</p>
<p>“More excited than usual, Lily?” Remus whispered in her ear. The redhead jumped, she hadn’t noticed Remus lean into her. Neither of them missed the fierce blush creep up her neck and across her cheeks. She mumbled something about how she always cheered for Quidditch. “Mhmm.”</p>
<p>Even though he knew not to push Lily too hard, he disagreed with James on not pushing at all. It wasn’t hard to miss the way Lily had opened up and allowed James in a little over the past few months. Remus didn’t even think she needed a push anymore. More like an opportunity needed to rise for Lily to openly acknowledge her feelings for James.</p>
<p>The crowd gasped as a bludger landed on James’s right elbow as he was rolling. His hand let go of the broom from the force of the blow. People murmured and muttered. James was trying to right himself while still hanging on to the Quaffle in one hand. He couldn’t hold the broom with his right. James was confident that he broken more the one bone in his lower arm from the impact. He tossed the Quaffle to the fourth-year chaser Morgan before waving to Madam Hooch for a timeout. At the blow of the whistle the Gryffindor team flew over to their captain.</p>
<p>Sirius got to James first, “Mate, what happened? You alright?”</p>
<p>James grimaced and told Sirius that he didn’t think he couldn’t play out the game. His right hand was completely numb by this point. The team surrounded them and told James that they could call on their reserve chaser. The girl had played well the last time James had needed to be taken off the pitch. This did not improve their captain’s mood. He had already needed to leave a match once this year, he didn’t want to have to do it a second time. There was something else. Something that he needed to prove, if only to himself.</p>
<p>“Remus might have a charm?” Sirius tipped his head towards the stand that was not far off. Both boys could make out their tall friend in the crowd and neither missed the fire-haired girl next to him.</p>
<p>James shook his head and reminded Sirius what had happened the last time Remus had tried to fix something like this. Sirius winced, yeah that wasn’t the best option. “Lily?”</p>
<p>Everyone knew by now her ambition was to become a Healer. She was also the best in Charms in the school - including the seventh-years. James rocked back and forth on his broomstick. Any minute now Madam Hooch would fly over and ask if they were ready to resume play. James muttered under his breath and zoomed over to the stands.</p>
<p>The sixth-year Gryffindors were at the front of the crowd. They all saw James flying towards her.Everyone around them groaned. Here it came. After six months of peace, James Potter was going to ask Lily Evans out and the Quidditch pitch would burn to the ground. Lily froze as James stopped and hovered in front of her and Remus. He pulled his googles up to his forehead and a furious blush crept across his face. Lily was about to tell James to sod off and get back to playing the game.</p>
<p>“Lily, I think my arm is broken but I don’t want to leave the match.” The pleading look in his eyes pulled at her heartstrings. After the morning he had had, how could it not? “Do you know any charms or something that might fix it?”</p>
<p>Suddenly Lily was ten years old again, picking up a baby bunny that had been mauled by one of the neighbourhood cats. She gently pulled James’s arm out towards her. He let out a gasp when she extended his arm fully. She was pleased when she was able to twist and turn his arm. He could still flex and extend his fingers too. The only true pain he had was when extended it fully. By this point, everyone could see Madam Hooch on her way towards them.</p>
<p>“Heads up, Hooch is on her way over.” Remus told them. “James, if she thinks you’re hurt she’ll send you off the pitch.”</p>
<p>Lily was caught up in her own head. “I think it’s just a bruise.” She pulled her wandout of her pocket and tapped James’s arm. He sighed as cool relief spread through his lower arm.</p>
<p>“Mr. Potter!” By now the flying instructor-referee was upon them.</p>
<p>“Sorry, Professor!” James swung around towards her. “Just thought I’d try my hand at asking Evans out, play the sympathy card after I almost got my head smashed in by a bludger and then almost having it lop my arm off too.”</p>
<p>Remus lightly stepped on Lily’s foot. Hoping she wouldn’t blow up at James. The peace this year, despite some bumps in the road, had been a beautiful thing.</p>
<p>Lily let out a bark of laughter. “As if, Potter! Like I’d go out with the likes of you.” Her shout caused laughter amongst those in the stands who heard what was going on. The group of friends at the edge of the stands heard the playfulness in her voice that no one else did.</p>
<p>As James flew off back to the Gryffindor team he called over his shoulder that one day Lily would marry him even if she didn’t know it now. Madam Hooch let Hufflepuff take a penalty shot for the delay in the match due to James’s ‘frivolity’.</p>
<p>The Gryffindor team won the match 210-30. Peter and Remus hustled back to Gryffindor Tower to get the party started. When the team walked in a cheer rang out. Gryffindor had secured their lead for the Quidditch Cup this year. The voice in Lily’s head noted that someone was missing. Sirius sauntered over and planted a kiss on Lily’s cheek before pulling her into a fierce hug. He whispered into her ear, “You’re the MVP of the game. He went to the hospital wing to have Poppy double check that elbow.”</p>
<p>Lily blushed as Sirius pulled away before she opened her mouth to say something. Sirius held up a hand and shook his head. “I know you were looking for him.”</p>
<p>Before she could argue, Sirius pranced away in search of some firewhiskey. Multiple students clapped him on the back as he made his way through the room. Lily sighed and took a seat in an armchair by the window. While she was happy about the win there were too many emotions running around in her chest. Above all, confusion. She felt like a tangle of yarn and no matter how hard she tried to unwind and unknot it she couldn’t. Her mind kept drifting to the paper this morning. The plea in James’s — Potter’s — eyes at the match. Wind rattled the window and she wrapped her arms tight around herself. Lily pulled her feet up onto the chair. She watched the snow flurry on the other side of the glass. It seemed like life was moving too fast and she was powerless to stop it.</p>
<p>Something was coming. Not only were her emotions in knots, her stomach was now too. The portrait hole opened and James Potter sauntered in. He nodded and smiled to his fellow Gryffindors. Lily noticed that the smile didn’t reach his eyes. She knew that smile. It was the smile she put on when she thought about her dad when everyone else was cheerful. The smile she pulled when Petunia said something particularly nasty to her out of mum’s earshot but then mum turned around and smiled at her.</p>
<p>Lily’s mind was at war. A piece of her was holding out. Potter was still a toe rag. Why did she care about how he was feeling? Because, someone tried to hurt his dad just as something was trying to hurt hers.</p>
<p>James caught Lily looking at him. He gave her a nod before he turned and made his way towards the dormitory stairs. He wasn’t in much mood to party right now. Sirius made a round about the room then headed for the stairs as well. Lily watched him and thought about the saying her father used to say about his rugby mates, ‘the blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’ Lily supposed that this not only applied to Sirius but also to Marlene. Lily was glad James had someone to share his worry with, she would give anything to have that bond again.</p>
<p>Colin sat seething across the room as he watched Lily watch both James and Sirius. It hadn’t taken long for the rumors to circulate about the delay in game at the match today. By the time the students had gotten back to Gryffindor tower there were multiple stories flying around. This person heard Lily had kissed James Potter. That one heard she had agreed to go out with him. While Colin was looking at Lily, she turned her head to look at him. She frowned. There was no mistaking the anger across his face.</p>
<p>Lily decided she wasn’t in the mood for a party either. She unfolded herself from her chair and crossed the room. She decided a walk would help her to clear her head. Out the portrait hole she went.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James lay stretched out on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. He had closed the curtains around his bed. At first it was to keep the draft out, his English Quidditch blanket had still not been returned to him. He heard Sirius come in and felt him pause on the other side of the curtain. James thought about all that his brother had gone through that summer and decided he wasn’t being fair. Fleamont meant as much to Sirius as he did to James.</p>
<p>“I thought Peter was the moody, sulking type.” Sirius asked as he sank down on to the bed after James had waved the curtains open.</p>
<p>“You’re confusing him with Moony.” James laughed and then darted off the bed. He rummaged around in Remus’s trunk, completely ruining the strategic organization of the chocolate bars. James chucked one at Sirius and grabbed a second for himself. “He might be moody but he always has a solution to it.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Prongs Turns Seventeen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Excitement flooded through the school throughout the month. Everyone, well almost everyone, held much anticipation for the final week of the month. It was a well known tradition that starting the day before James’s birthday through April Fool’s Day was the Marauders’ prank week. Anyone and everyone was fair game for a prank. People usually placed bets on how many of them would land on Lily Evans and Severus Snape. There was the addition of Colin Smith to the pool this year for obvious reasons. And despite her best attempts, McGonagall was never able to curtail them. She was convinced that Dumbledore even encouraged them just to pull on her tail.</p>
<p>This year had the added excitement of James turning seventeen. Sirius couldn’t stop ribbing him, asking if Lily was gonna help turn him in to a real man. Remus took a page out of Lily’s book and took to silencing Sirius every so often. The attack on Fleamont Potter had not been forgotten. It had taken many owls between father and sons before the boys could move past it.</p>
<p>Lily had gone back to actively steering clear of James and the Marauders. Mostly avoiding James and Sirius. Sirius was just being downright annoying and it was hard to avoid Remus given they did so much of their extra work together. People thought Lily must be using an invisibility cloak when not in class if James was around. He had scarcely seen her since the Hufflepuff-Gryffindor match. She was not keen on becoming a target again this year. A little piece her hoped Marlene and Alice were right and that he was growing up. She still remembered the feeling of the slime that had oozed down her back in third year. The memory caused her to shudder.</p>
<p>Marlene sank down into a seat next to Lily at breakfast the morning of April 26th. Her eyes darted up and down the table. “They’re not down here yet.”</p>
<p>“Keeping an eye on them are you?” Marlene snorted and poured herself a cup of coffee.</p>
<p>“It’s prank week. Of course I’m keeping my eye on them.” Lily was a little tense herself. Again, this was historically not a good week for her.</p>
<p>Peter and Remus entered the hall. Peter had that innocent look about him. Remus looked annoyed. They sat down a little ways down the table from Lily and Marlene. Both girls watched them skeptically. They kept looking for the other half of the Marauders’ party of four.</p>
<p>“I have a pit in my stomach about this. Can we go back to the Common Room? I don’t trust them not to involve us in some dirty prank.” Marlene nodded her head and refilled her cup with coffee. Together they kept alert for anything amiss as they made their way out of the Great Hall. They weren’t the only ones either. Some of the older students from Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw saw the boys and took their leave, wary of the day.</p>
<p>The girls were turning the corner from a fourth-floor corridor and smacked straight into none other than Sirius Black.</p>
<p>“Oy! McKinnon! What have I said about watching where you’re walking!” Sirius rubbed his shoulder. The girls looked a little nervous. “I’m not going to bite you, we have bigger targets in our sight for today.”</p>
<p>James and Sirius moved along, their heads together whispering. She let out a breath of relief. She was hoping that Sirius’s comment meant that she and Marlene would not be the butt of a joke or prank today. Just to be safe, they decided today might be a good day to hide out in their dormitory. It was the only place that they were positive the boys could not get to.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alice threw open the dormitory door. “You two are hopeless! There’s a party going on downstairs and it is a lot of fun and you’re up here hiding!”</p>
<p>Marlene and Lily froze in a very Marauders-caught-in-the-act fashion. They had been dancing around the dormitory to the Wizard Wireless. A new song came on and Marlene began to shimmy. Lily pulled Alice into the room and started to dance with her. The trio giggled and jumped around the room. When the song ended, Alice plopped down onto Marlene’s bed.</p>
<p>“Really, you’ll have fun down in the Common Room. Davies is even turning a blind eye to the firewhiskey that’s down there in honour of James’s birthday.” Alice grew annoyed with her friends. “Marlene, I would expect better of you. It’s your brother’s birthday and you’re hiding up here just because you’re afraid the boys may pull a harmless prank on you.”</p>
<p>Marlene at least looked a little ashamed. Granny Winnie would not be pleased to hear that she had not celebrated with James on his birthday. Lily mumbled something darkly under her breath.</p>
<p>“Honestly, Lily! Grow up. Put some clothes on and come downstairs. I’m not asking you to snog Potter on his birthday. You’ve been working and worrying yourself to death the past few weeks and you need to let loose.”</p>
<p>“Who are you and what have you done with Alice King?” Marlene looked in awe at the petite brunette. Alice started digging through Marlene’s trunk until she found the purple top she’d been thinking of. She threw it balled up at Marlene’s head.</p>
<p>“Lily Evans! Get dressed, let’s go.” Alice pulled her wand out and trained it on her friend.</p>
<p>Lily smirked, “Are you going to hex me if I don’t?” Alice sent sparks flying from her wand at Lily. She was satisfied with the response it triggered.</p>
<p>Marlene and Lily quickly dressed and followed their friend out. Marlene murmured something about Alice being on her way to making a brilliant auror. The music got louder the further down the stairs they got. Once at the bottom, they saw the party in full swing. Alice deserted the two girls she had pulled from the dormitory as soon as she saw Frank by the drink table.</p>
<p>“Think we could get away with going back up?” Lily asked Marlene as they watched Alice plant a kiss on Frank.</p>
<p>“Definitely not, Alice might actually hex us. She’s turning into quite the confident little broad, isn’t she?”</p>
<p>Sirius sauntered over to them and threw an arm over each of their shoulders. “Well if it isn’t my two favourite ladies? Can I interest either of you in a drink?” Sirius walked them over to the table where there was an assortment of drinks. Alice was not lying when she said that there was firewhiskey openly available. Lily did notice the age line around the handful of bottles. Clearly Aubrey was trying a little to uphold her Head Girl duties. Lily caught a glimpse of her in the corner snogging with Aiden. She nudged Marlene and gave a head nod to the corner.</p>
<p>Marlene let out a giggle and picked up one of the bottles of whiskey. She offered some to Lily who shook her head. “Worried about ending up in someone else’s bed tonight?”</p>
<p>Lily kicked Sirius hard in the shin. “That bed is empty.” She whispered viciously before grabbing a bottle of butterbeer. “So shut it.”</p>
<p>She stormed across the room, darting around people until she came to stand near Mary and Dorcas. They greeted her warmly. Sirius elbowed Marlene and pointed at James who was standing not far from Lily. He was listening, or at least trying to listen, to the conversation the Remus and Peter were trying to have with him. Sirius and Marlene watched the comical affair of Lily and James sending what could only be described as pining looks at each other. As soon as one looked away the other would turn to look.</p>
<p>“McKinnon, I think they need a bit of a push.” Sirius took a swig from his bottle of firewhiskey. Marlene grinned and clanked her bottle against his. She could not agree more. Sirius pulled her out onto the dance floor and spun her around.</p>
<p>Marlene caught Remus’s eye as she twirled. She cocked her head to the side and her eyebrows knit together. Remus sighed raised his cup to her and nodded his head. Sirius twirled her back to face him and her smile spread across her face. They bumped into other couples and groups dancing. Alice waggled her eyebrows and then winked at Marlene when they made eye contact.</p>
<p>“Now that you’ve caught yourself a black-haired Marauder, we need to help Lily follow.” Alice cackled as she hip bumped Marlene.</p>
<p>“Alice, are you trying to set me up with Black?” Marlene laughed as Sirius pulled her away again.</p>
<p>Alice clutched her chest and pretended to look scandalized. “I would never.” She only cackled again and then tumbled into Frank’s chest. Marlene couldn’t help but wonder if little Alice had been at the firewhiskey tonight.</p>
<p>“Here’s the plan,” Marlene shouted into Sirius’s ear over the din of the music and crowd. “You get Lily onto the dance floor, I’ll get James. And then we swap partners!”</p>
<p>Sirius nodded and danced around the groups of people. There were so many people in the room that it was impossible not to bump someone as he tried to get over to Lily. He mumbled an apology when he knocked someone a little hard, spilling their drink.</p>
<p>Colin wanted to trip Sirius but before he could get his foot out the bastard was gone. Firewhiskeyran down his trouser leg. He glared as he watched Sirius halt in front of Lily and hold out the bottle he carried. Lily shook her head and crossed her arms. One of the girls she was with laughed and gave her a friendly nudge. She pursed her lips and eyed Sirius. She peered over his shoulder to where she could spot Alice dancing with Frank. There was a small hesitation before she took the bottle from him and gave it a good swig. Sirius patted her on the back as she coughed. He grabbed her hand and pulled her back through the crowd.</p>
<p>Sirius handed Lily the bottle again once they got into the crowd. He whispered something in her ear and then laughed when she swatted him. Alice raised Lily’s arm with the bottle in it.</p>
<p>“Alice King! Are you encouraging me to drink?” Lily looked aghast.</p>
<p>“Don’t be such a prude, Evans!” Alice shouted back, a smug smile danced across her face as Lily raised the bottle.</p>
<p>Lily looked to the corner where Aubrey Davies still had her mouth glued to Aiden’s. If the Head Girl was letting her hair down, then so could Lily. She took a deep swig and then handed the bottle back to Sirius. He grinned at her and pulled her in close again. He muttered things in her ear to make her laugh. At some point he caught Colin watching them from near the fire. He gave Lily the bottle again. She didn’t even need to be nudged, she took another deep swig and stumbled into Sirius. The boy hadn’t taken his eye away from Colin’s. Sirius gave him a wink before turning back to Lily.</p>
<p>Marlene arrived with James at that moment. She took a look at Lily and then to Sirius, who just shrugged his shoulders. At this point Lily took the bottle from him and grinned. She took another swig, handed the bottle back to Sirius and then wrapped an arm around Marlene. The two girls giggled. Frank spun Alice into her friends without letting going of her hand. He yanked and spun her back into him.</p>
<p>Marlene gave Lily a little shove towards James. She stumbled into his arms and giggled. James steadied her and then gave Marlene a warning look. She just winked at him and wrapped her own arms around Sirius.</p>
<p>James knew Lily was a little sloshed at this point. And he knew that taking advantage of this situation was wrong. But a piece him flew high with the warmth of Lily’s body touching his chest.</p>
<p>“C’mon, Potter! I was told that you’re a good dancer!” Lily grabbed James’s hand and tugged him into the group of their friends. She might be a little tipsy but she wasn’t slurring her words. A little dancing never hurt anybody, right?</p>
<hr/>
<p>Colin smirked as his friend led Aubrey past him towards the portrait hole. He gave him a pat on the back. Not half an hour ago, he’d watched Frank and Alice sneak out too. Colin hadn’t moved an inch all night. He was watching Lily make a fool of herself in the middle of the room. It was nearing midnight and the party was not letting up though the room had cleared out some of the younger students by this point. He had watched the Marauders pass around Marlene and Lily for the past hour on the dance floor. They passed bottles of whiskey around too. This irked him.</p>
<p>A thought occurred to him and a darkness crossed his face. If Lily wanted to shag the Marauders then he would give her a hand. He summoned himself a bottle of whiskey and settled in to watch.</p>
<p>Lily grinned as Remus twirled her back over to James. She pressed up against his chest, her face flush from the dancing. She laughed and tilted her chin upwards towards James. Maybe it was the whiskey or the dancing but there was something that gave him the confidence to do it. James tilted his head down to Lily’s and gently kissed her.</p>
<p>Sirius and Marlene caught them and let out a little cheer. James wrapped his arms around Lily. She shivered. The music softened and whispers raced around the room. One moment James was kissing Lily, the next her clothes were missing and she was in naught but brassiere and underwear. She let out a squeak of horror and looked up at James. Marlene, Sirius, and Remus surrounded her on the other three sides.</p>
<p>Lily’s face was a panic and her eyes were deer caught in the headlights big. “James, did you-?”</p>
<p>James shook his head furiously and looked around, or at least tried to. He did not want to step away from her, afraid of exposing her further. He and Sirius both caught Colin watching, a funny little smirk on his face. He winked at the two of them. Sirius growled and went to step away from the group but Remus grabbed him.</p>
<p>“Accio cloak!” James murmured. Moments later the dormitory door opened and a bundle of fabric came flying at him. Sirius and Remus saw it. They were of one mind with James. It was so smooth that people thought this had been some type of rehearsed prank. One moment they were shielding Lily, the next both Lily and James vanished out of thin air.</p>
<p>Marlene was confused and smacked Sirius. She was just as convinced as the rest of the room that the boys had orchestrated some type of prank. For what it’s worth, Sirius had been making suggestive comments about Lily and James shagging on his birthday. Sirius forgot his wand and charged at Colin. Two seventh-year boys stepped in beside him. Remus and Marlene were right behind Sirius, wands out.</p>
<p>“Lily, do you trust me?” James whispered to her. She stood stock still and didn’t say a word. James watched the fight break out over her head but he knew he needed to get Lily somewhere. He carefully picked her up, making sure not to let the cloak slip. He slowly carried her towards the dormitory doors and up to his dormitory.</p>
<p>Again, just like last term, this was something he had dreamed about and it was not playing out the way he had imagined. He tugged off the cloak and gently set her on his bed. He yanked open his trunk and rummaged for some clothes for her. He pulled out a pair of golden snitch boxers and a Puddlemere United shirt.</p>
<p>James tried to avert his eyes as he handed her the clothes. She didn’t move to take them. Her skin was was covered in gooseflesh and she continued to shiver. James realized she must be in shock. He took a deep breath and sat on the edge of the bed. He cautiously took one of arms, half expecting her to smack him and scream. She didn’t. He helped pull the shirt on over her head. Her legs were still bare but the shirt was quite large and covered most her. He didn’t dare try to pull the boxers onto her.</p>
<p>“Lily? Do you want some tea?” James asked. “Can I get you anything?” She stared blankly at the wall behind Remus’s bed. Running sounded on the stairs and James whipped around as Marlene came charging through the door. Peter was just behind her. Remus and Sirius brought up the rear. Remus was half carrying his friend.</p>
<p>“What in Merlin’s name did you do!” Marlene shrieked at James, wand out. She disarmed him then shoved past him to Lily. “Lil, talk to me.”</p>
<p>Marlene sat down on the bed and wrapped her arms around her best friend. Remus helped Sirius to his bed. He had a nasty cut on the side of his arm. Remus was trying to convince him that they should go to the hospital wing.</p>
<p>“No. James’s birthday is in three minutes. I haven’t missed the start of his birthday in the last six years and I’m not going to miss it this year because Colin bloody Smith is a tosser. Tis a flesh wound!” Sirius sat up on the bed and gave Remus a shove. He looked over at the next bed where Lily sat with Marlene. “We’ll get him back, Lilyflower. We’ll get that tosser back.”</p>
<p>Marlene shot him a scathing look. James ruffled up his hair and shook his head. This birthday was not starting out too good. Remus sank into a chair. Peter squeaked about going to the loo and fled the room. A bit of confetti popped out of Sirius’s wand. “Happy birthday, mate.”</p>
<p>Lily hiccuped, the whole affair had sobered her up some. “Is this my fault? Did I do something to deserve this?” She looked up, her eyes greener than ever.</p>
<p>The room was silent. Remus stood up and knelt next to James’s bed.He summoned a blanket from his bed and settled it around her shoulders. “Lily, you did not do anything. You are a kind and brilliant witch who takes care of her friends. James, can you pass me some of the chocolate.”</p>
<p>James opened Remus’s trunk and rifled around through the stash looking for Lily’s favourite. He found half a bar left and tossed it to Remus. Lily reached out a shaky hand and took a piece that Remus broke off. She popped it in her mouth and savoured the sweetness of the Honeyduke’s chocolate.</p>
<p>“Lily, do you want to head back to our dormitory?” Marlene asked slowly. “You’ll sleep better in your own bed.”</p>
<p>Lily looked at the door. She was certain that there were still people in the common room. She was too embarrassed to go back down there. There was also a piece of her that thought she’d kill Colin for this. Anger boiled up through her and she pushed it back down. She shook her head and leaned backwards. Marlene scowled. “Well I’m not letting you sleep here alone with this lot. I’m staying too.”</p>
<p>The blonde scooted to the end of the bed and rummage through James’s trunk until she pulled out a second Puddlemere United shirt. She also grabbed the pair of golden snitch boxers that had been sitting on the end of the bed. They were folded so she assumed they were clean. She waved her wand and snapped the curtains closed before she shimmied out of her jeans. She reopened the curtains. Lily had snuggled down under the covers while Marlene changed.</p>
<p>“Budge up, Evans. And don’t hog all the blankets.” Marlene slipped underneath the covers. “Sorry, James. You’ll have to sleep next to Remus tonight. This bed is full.”</p>
<p>James scowled. Sirius couldn’t but laugh and even Remus cracked a smile. “McKinnon, if you snore I’m going to kick you out.”</p>
<p>“Sod off, Black.” Marlene smiled and rolled onto her side. The lights went out and then five minutes later Remus grumbled and lit his wand after Peter tripped over all the things on floor.</p>
<p>James was sitting on the bed watching the bed across from him. Marlene of course was asleep and snoring right away. He could tell Lily was still awake. It seemed like the two stared into nothingness for most of the night. James had to find a way to fix this. He felt responsible for this. He finally nodded off sometime in the early hours of the morning. By the time he woke, Marlene and Lily had gone.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James, Remus, and Sirius sat at the Gryffindor table when the post arrived. Stella landed in front of James with a parcel. She nipped at his finger affectionately. He stroked the crown of her head in return. She gave a low chirp and then took off. James had a good idea of what was inside the package and when he opened it he was right. His parents had gifted him his father’s watch for his seventeenth birthday. It was a beautiful wristwatch, not flashy but certainly a work of art. He didn’t miss Sirius’s brief frown. James placed it back in the package.</p>
<p>“So, I feel like we need to rethink prank week, lads.” James murmured. He nodded his head towards where Colin and Aiden were strutting into the Great Hall. Murmurs buzzed all round them. The three boys put their heads down to think.</p>
<hr/>
<p>By Monday morning, the whole school knew about the Gryffindor party mishap. Everyone waited to see what the Marauders would do in retaliation but Monday passed without consequence. Tuesday and Wednesday were much the same. By lunch Wednesday, everyone including McGonagall was on edge. Naturally, she knew all about the goings on from Saturday night and she was worried. James had shown much growth this year and had managed to pull Sirius Black along with him.</p>
<p>Thursday dawned and still no retaliation. Not even a little side prank to speak of. The Slytherins had decided that the Marauders had gone soft and started causing trouble themselves. Lily gave everyone but Marlene and Alice the silence treatment, and she was a little cold to Alice. She wouldn’t even speak to Frank. The only time other people heard her speak was if she was answering a question in class and even that happened rarely now.</p>
<p>April Fool’s Day was Friday. People had placed bets that today would be the day. It was the Marauders’ holiday!</p>
<p>Students stopped in their tracks in the entry hall on their way to breakfast that morning. The Marauders had outdone themselves with this bit of magic. They waited until breakfast was in full swing until they made their way down. It had taken them the entire week to figure out how the magic would work but it was well worth it.</p>
<p>In the entry hall an exhibit of sorts had ben set up. The had transported the entirety of the seventh-year Gryffindor boys’ dormitory and set it up, students included, in the hall. It was partitioned off with a red velvet rope fence like the kind found in fancy museums. And while all of their furniture had been transported seemingly none of their clothes had made the trip. All eight boys were in whatever they had worn to bed the night before. A handful had t-shirts, Frank Longbottom being one. Colin on the other hand must like sleeping in the nude. The real icing on the cake was that none of the professors seemed to be able to break the spell that kept the group of boys in a box. A little bronze plaque was next to the exhibit that read ‘Seventh-Year Wankers.'</p>
<p>Sirius wiggled his fingers in a tootle-loo like manner as the Marauders made their way in to breakfast. Remus let out a wolf-whistle. James looked Colin dead in the eye and winked. Peter scurried along behind them.</p>
<p>The spell wore off sometime around noon. McGonagall didn’t even try to corner the four of them. She didn’t even know where to start. Nor would a punishment stick. Easter Break would start tomorrow with many students headed home on the train. Something Dumbledore had said before stuck in her mind, ‘let them be boys for just a little longer.’</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Mums Just Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily was relieved when she finally stepped off the Hogwarts Express. Two weeks with Petunia would be better than trying to avoid James and Colin. Today alone had been a challenge and neither boy had left Hogwarts for break. She had taken many, many points from Slytherin students on the train that day. When she met her mother on the other side of the barrier she felt like she hadn’t slept in a year.</p>
<p>“Lily, dear!” Mrs. Evans was a little ways away from the barrier and she waved to her daughter. “Oh, I’ve missed you!”</p>
<p>“I’ve missed you too, Mum.” Lily hugged her mother tightly. She held back the wave of emotion. There were still some students around and the last thing she needed was for them to see Lily Evans cry. Keep it together, Evans.</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans led Lily to the car and helped her lift her trunk into the boot. The two climbed in and were off down the road. It hadn’t been any longer than three minutes before Mrs. Evans realized something was very wrong.</p>
<p>“What’s wrong?” Lily burst into tears. Weeks of stress and anxiety came tumbling out in a jumble of words that only a mother could understand. “Let’s go get a bite and you can tell me all about it, okay sweetie?”</p>
<hr/>
<p>James was arguing with Remus for the tenth time that day. And he felt like such an arse for it because tomorrow night was the full moon and Remus looked absolutely terrible. James, Sirius, and Peter stayed at Hogwarts for break so that Remus wouldn’t have to spend it alone. His parents preferred for him to stay if the full moon fell on break and it had been tradition ever since the others knew about his affliction that they stayed too. He gave them a hard time every time they did but he also always felt better with them there.</p>
<p>Remus was upset that they had chosen to stay with him instead of going home. Remus was more upset with James because it had been little over three weeks since his father was attacked by Deatheaters and here he was passing up an opportunity to be with him.</p>
<p>“Remus, I’m done arguing with you. The train left hours ago. That ship has bloody well sailed. Now go lie down and eat some chocolate.” James turned back to his Potions essays that Slughorn had set for them. He watched Remus lope off, grumbling about ungrateful gits.</p>
<p>Sirius laid sprawled on the couch reading a copy of <em>Witch Weekly</em> that Marlene had left lying around. He always refused to touch his homework until the last twenty-four hours of break as a rule. Peter was practicing Charms. A handful of other students milled around the tower but many had opted to go home to be with family. James hated to admit it but Remus was right, most students had gone home because they never knew if it would be their loved one next.</p>
<p>“Lousy wolf and always being right.” James muttered. He heard Sirius snicker from the couch.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lily sat across from her mum in the diner booth. A large platter of fish and chips in front of her. She had barely touched the food. She’d been too busy filling her mother in on all the happenings of the last term. She didn’t leave a single thing out from snogging Potter to ending up magicked out of her clothes in the Common Room. Mrs. Evan heard it all with an ever patient look on her face. She asked an occasional question but just let her daughter vent.</p>
<p>“I am just so mad!” Lily finally stabbed the piece of cod with her fork and took a voracious bite.</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans let out her breath. Oh what it was to be seventeen. She could see what one of the major issues here was but she didn’t know how to tackle it. Lily was always a figure it out on your own child. Petunia wanted someone to solve her problem, Lily wanted someone to show her where the tools were so she could figure it out.</p>
<p>“You’re allowed to be mad, Lily. I know that things at home have not been easy and it sounds like school has not been either.”</p>
<p>“Mum, why can’t I stop thinking about him? Why is he always popping up in my thoughts? And why is he always at the center of the bad things that happen to me?” Lily slammed her fork down, crossed her arm and pouted.</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans smirked. “Do you want some cheese with that whine?”</p>
<p>Lily glared across the table at her mother and then she laughed. A deep belly laugh. The type of laugh that she hadn’t had in a long time. She wiped the tears from her eyes. “Growing up is kind of awful, isn’t it.”</p>
<p>The older woman shared a sympathetic smile with her daughter. “No matter how old you get, you will always be my little Lily.”</p>
<p>Lily finished her meal and they were back on the road to home. Lily flicked on the radio and smiled. She missed muggle music. Elton John was playing, she and her mum turned to each other at the same time.</p>
<p>“<em>She’s got electric boots, a mohair suit,</em></p>
<p>
  <em>You know I read it in a magazine</em>
</p>
<p><em>B-B-B-Bennie and the Jets!</em>”</p>
<p>Lily grinned at her mum. They spent the evening drive singing along to the radio. Some much needed mother-daughter time.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James morphed into Prongs and pranced around the dining room. Padfoot was bouncing around tongue lolling. Wormtail tried to not get under hoof or paw. He squeaked his displeasure when Padfoot’s tail’s knocked him sideways. Moony roared at them. Padfoot snapped at his heel and barked.</p>
<p>Prongs stamped the wooden floor and herded his band towards the door. Not a cloud in the sky, the full moon loomed. Moony let his head back and howled. Padfoot joined him. They were out into the night. Wolf and dog snapping at each other, stag and rat prancing together. By the time they returned to the Shrieking Shack the moon was dropping from the sky and a pre-dawn glow had surrounded the castle.</p>
<p>They left Remus sleeping on the torn and tattered mattress. Madam Pomfrey would be on her way any moment. Three of four boys trekked back up to the castle. Very, very tired but very pleased with their night. They were rounding the corner after climbing the stairs to the mezzanine level of the entry way when Sirius collided with another body from the opposite direction.</p>
<p>“Urgh - Snivelly grease! I’ll never get it out of this shirt!” Sirius muttered as he glared at Snape. “What are you doing lurking around?”</p>
<p>“I could ask the same thing of you, Black.” Snape sneered at the trio, “And where is Lupin? Was he not — aware — of your early morning adventure?”</p>
<p>Sirius moved to pull out his wand but found James had grabbed it from his pocket. James told Snape to shove off and moved to step around him. Peter followed but Sirius stood there for a moment longer. He decided better of punching him and followed his friends.</p>
<p>“Twenty points from Gryffindor, for students out of bed.” Snape shouted at them and smirked when Sirius turned back around.</p>
<p>James lunged and grabbed the back of Sirius’s shirt. “Not now.”</p>
<p>“You greasy git. You’re out of bed too!”</p>
<p>“Prefect.” Snape pointed to the badge on his chest. Normally Remus was their buffer to this abuse of power.</p>
<p>“Maybe I’ll let Evans know and she can give you another broken nose. You can’t take points from her for that can you?” Sirius smirked back.</p>
<p>“Heard Potter got the shag on her? Was the prude any good?” James grabbed Sirius again, Peter grabbed one of his arms and together they pulled him back. Sirius shouted obscenities all the way down the hall.</p>
<p>“Padfoot, if you don’t shut it, McGonagall will be on us.” James muttered. He shoved Sirius a little harder than necessary when they got to one of the secret sets of staircases that would cut their walk back to the tower in half.</p>
<p>“That greasy git insulted Lily if you didn’t notice.”</p>
<p>James sighed, “And he’s not worth what little energy I have right now to argue with.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Marlene sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea in front of her. She had been staring at the same page for Defense Against the Dark Arts for the past twenty minutes. Mrs. McKinnon walked in and raised an eyebrow. “Something on your mind, sweetpea?”</p>
<p>The blonde girl jumped, she hadn’t even noticed her mum walk in. “Right, well I clearly am not doing a good job of being aware of my surroundings. You could have gotten me right in my own kitchen.”</p>
<p>Mrs. McKinnon shook her head and poured herself a cup. “What’s on your mind? You’ve been distracted all week.”</p>
<p>“Can you love two people at once, mum?” Marlene was more than perplexed at this point.</p>
<p>“Sure you can.” Clearly this was not the answer Marlene was hoping for. She propped her cheek on her hand and scowled. “This isn’t a hypothetical question is it?”</p>
<p>“I know I still love Remus. I —we — well we sort of — on New Year’s…” Marlene blushed and looked up at her mother through her eyelashes. She explained what had happened throughout the first term leading right up to New Years’ and shagging Remus. Marlene expected her mother to be upset and scold her but she didn’t. She just listened to it all with a sympathetic ear.</p>
<p>“We broke up and Sirius has always been a flirt but there’s a spark there that just never happened with Remus.” James’s birthday party had been when she truly realized it.</p>
<p>“Are you sure you’re not confusing love with lust?” Mrs. McKinnon was gentle in her question. Marlene shook her head furiously. She didn’t lust for Sirius and while she had considered shagging him, she was a little scared to. There was something between them that hadn’t been there with Remus and it was not lust.</p>
<p>“Have you talked with Remus? About how you feel? I know you still spend a lot of time with those boys. Did you think that it might be hard for him too?” Marlene thought about it. She knew that she hadn’t been fair. She had toyed with both boys at New Years. She wasn’t proud of it. She knew that she needed to talk to him. She needed to acknowledge that she did and does still care very deeply for him.</p>
<p>Mrs. McKinnon put the kettle on for another pot of tea. She guessed that this conversation might go on for some time.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James grabbed the book out of Remus’s hand. “It is only the first day out of the hospital wing. There are thirteen days before term starts and you need a break. No. Moony, you have a lot of work, I know. But you also need a break. So I am confiscating all your books <em>and</em> your favourite quill too.”</p>
<p>Remus looked at James flatly. To be honest he was still too tired to put up much of a fight. Even though he felt guilty that they had stayed for them he did feel better having them around. He even managed a small smile when James held up a chocolate bar.</p>
<p>“Fine — I’ll come down to the Common Room and read for pleasure. Is that allowed, mother?” James eyed him beadily. Was reading for pleasure on the approved leisure activity list?</p>
<p>“I’ll allow it for now. But let me talk with your father and see what he says.” James and Remus went down together. “Oy Padfoot, is Moony allowed to read for fun?”</p>
<p>Sirius gave James a look. “Who reads for fun?”</p>
<p>Remus rolled his eyes and laughed. He told Sirius to budge up as he was taking up the whole couch. “Moony, there are so many other places to sit and I’m comfortable! Urgh - get off me you oversized oaf!”</p>
<p>Peter launched himself on to the couch and landed Sirius’s legs. “Damnit it Wormtail, get off me! Moony, aren’t you supposed to be tired or something?”</p>
<p>“I have found a source of energy. Some strange little man beneath me is allowing me to suck energy for him.”</p>
<p>James looked at him. “That sounds so wrong.”</p>
<p>“You’re a werewolf not a vampire,” Sirius grumbled as he tried to roll so Remus and Peter would be dumped to the ground.</p>
<p>“Say it louder, would you.” Remus got up and glared at Sirius. He went and settled into an armchair by the fire.</p>
<p>“Come off it mate, we’re the only ones in here right now. And you know I’d never tell anyone.” Sirius scowled at him. “Why so moody, Moony?”</p>
<p>The corner of Remus’s mouth hitched just slightly. He opened his book to the page he’d marked and began to read. Well tried to read. Sirius was actively working to make him laugh and was being rather distracting. “Would you sod off, Padfoot?”</p>
<p>“No.” Sirius tried to sit on Remus earning him a good swat with the rather thick book. “Ouch, bloody hell! What in Merlin’s pants are you reading that is so thick?”</p>
<p>James opened his mouth to retort but Peter beat him to it. “I didn’t realize that Merlin had things written on his—” Sirius tackled him and they wrestled on the floor briefly before Sirius had Peter’s arm behind his back.</p>
<p>“Such a dirty mind, Wormtail.” Peter complained and told Sirius to let him up. “We should wash your mouth out.”</p>
<p>Sirius summoned a bar of soap from somewhere in the tower and was trying to get Peter to open his mouth. James laughed and shook his head. Remus rolled his eyes and settled himself into the chair, his legs dangling over the arm.</p>
<p>“What are you reading?” James looked as Remus held up the cover. <em>Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy.</em></p>
<p>Remus explained that it was a muggle book Lily had let him borrow. “Sirius, I think you’d like the protagonist - Smiley.”</p>
<p>“I don’t read for pleasure, Remus. I prefer more active activities.” Sirius let Peter up and dashed to the couch before the pudgy boy could steal his spot.</p>
<p>“We are all aware of how much you like to practice some things, Sirius.” Remus murmured. “Maybe one day you might actually be decent.”</p>
<p>James and Sirius exchanged a look. “Is Moony saying what I think he’s saying, Prongs? Because it sort of sounds like — but no, Moony is too respectable to stoop to that level.”</p>
<p>Remus quirked his eyebrow, smirked, winked, grinned and then returned his attention to his book. Sirius stood there glaring at the taller boy for a good ten minutes before he made an irritated noise and went back to whatever it was he had been doing before James and Remus had come down from the dormitory.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. We All Fall Down</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily lay awake in bed the night before she was to return to Hogwarts. No matter what she did, she could not get James Potter out of her mind. Around midnight she gave up trying to sleep and climbed out of bed. She padded softly over to her bookshelf. Her battered copy of <em>Peter Pan</em> was exactly where she had dropped it haphazardly on New Years. A piece of parchment slipped out and landed on her feet.</p>
<p>Lily picked it up and sat back down on her bed. Butterflies fluttered around in her belly. She had completely forgotten about this. Her hand trembled as she unfolded the letter.</p>
<p>
  <em>Lily,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Please don’t toss this note in the fire before you read it all the way through!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I want to apologize. I feel like I took advantage of you that night in the Transfiguration classroom and it has been eating at me. I know that I have given many reasons over the past five years for you to hate me, and I am so sorry for that. I wish you were here tonight. Sirius, Remus, and Marlene are playing some type of game with each other and I think you’re the only one who would know how to reign them in. I hope that we can turn a new leaf this year, I would like a chance to get to know you and to give you a chance to know me. Happy New Year, Lily!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>With </em>
  <em>Love</em>
  <em> Friendship,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>James</em>
</p>
<p>“I don’t hate you, James.” Lily dropped the note into her lap. She didn’t even try to deny it to herself. She did once but over the past few months she couldn’t deny to herself that she had seen a change. He had stopped bullying people. The closest he had come to bullying was the prank on Colin and his year-mates but that seemed more out of retaliation. She was not happy about it but a tiny piece of her admitted that Colin deserved far worse for what he’d done to her. The old James would have done far worse.</p>
<p>Lily tucked the letter back into the book. She placed it into her trunk before turning the light out. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Marlene found Remus after dinner. He was sitting in an armchair near the windows in the Common Room. “Can we talk?”</p>
<p>Remus looked up at her and closed his book. “Here or?” She shook her head and motioned to the portrait hole. Remus dropped his book down on the table next to his seat and followed her out.</p>
<p>Marlene found a bench some ways down the corridor and sat down. She scooted over so Remus could sit down too. He chose to lean against the wall and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets. They stared at each for a few moments. “So…”</p>
<p>“I’m sorry.” Marlene looked down at her hands in her lap. She mustered up her courage and look back up at Remus. “I was not kind to you and I am very sorry for it. I still love you very much but I —”</p>
<p>She didn’t know how to tell Remus she wanted to date one of his best mates. Even more so, she didn’t want to admit to another person that she had developed feelings for Sirius. Marlene was so caught up in her own head and trying to find her words that she didn’t realize Remus was trying to find his own.</p>
<p>How do I tell her that I couldn’t be physical with her because of my affliction without telling her about it? How do I talk around that? Remus scratched the back of his head. “Mar, it’s okay — we don’t need to do this. I’m not mad or upset with you. I was — after we broke up but I understand that I couldn’t give you what it was that you wanted.”</p>
<p>“No, Remus. I did this.” Remus shook his head and stepped away from the wall. He wish he had half the courage that Marlene did. He had to tell her the truth but he couldn’t find the words.</p>
<p>“It takes two to tango.” He sat down beside her. He leaned over and pecked her cheek. “Water under the bridge. I forgive you.”</p>
<p>“Friends?” Marlene asked shyly.</p>
<p>Remus nodded and stood up. “Friends. Which means I get to make fun of you for falling for Sirius, right?”</p>
<p>Marlene looked aghast. “You most certainly cannot. Seriously Remus, don’t tell Sirius.”</p>
<p>Remus smirked and quirked his eyebrow. He opened his mouth to retort but decided better of it. He helped Marlene to her feet and they made their way back to the Common Room. He let her ahead of him through the portrait hole.</p>
<p>Sirius had stolen Remus’s seat and was holding <em>Tinker, Tailor, Solider, Spy </em>upset down. Remus’s bookmark lay discarded on the floor. He watched them come through the portrait hole and scowled at them. Marlene caught him looking and winked at him. She smirked at his scowl and made her way up to her dormitory.</p>
<p>“So you two are back together?” Sirius muttered when Remus asked for his seat back.</p>
<p>“No, Padfoot. We are not getting back together.” Remus shook his head and picked up his bookmark. “You could have at least left my mark in the book.”</p>
<p>Sirius had closed the book. “So what does it mean, that you and Marlene aren’t back together.”</p>
<p>“You’ll have to ask her, won’t you. Now move.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Lily had prayed that people would forget the events from the week before break. Most of the students had. The majority of the girls were sympathetic to Lily and refused to encourage their male counterparts’ asinine comments. Colin and some of the other seventh-year boys were taking more of the brunt of the teasing.</p>
<p>The Slytherins were the exception. They took pleasure in making any of the Gryffindors squirm and the sixth-years were particularly brutal. Enough of the NEWT students had continued with Defense Against the Dark Arts that they had split the sixth-years up. Gryffindor had pulled the short straw and paired with Slytherin this term.</p>
<p>“At least we can practice hexing them without getting in trouble for it this semester,” Sirius muttered as they made their way to class after lunch at the end of the first week.</p>
<p>Remus and James groaned. This was going to be a disaster. They just knew it. “Sirius, don’t provoke them.”</p>
<p>“I’m not going to provoke them. They always start it, I’m just going to finish it.” Sirius slumped into his usual seat. James sat down beside him. Remus and Peter were in front of them.</p>
<p>Lily, Marlene, and Alice sat down a little ways away from the four boys. James ruffled up his hair and smiled when they looked over at them. Lily turned and whispered something to Alice. She had showed Alice the letter the moment they arrived to their compartment on the train.</p>
<p>“I don’t think James will do anything foolish, it’s Black we need to watch out for.” Alice murmured back. All three girls were on edge, this was going to be a long term with double DADA at the end of the week. Especially once the weather started to warm up and the heat made tempers flare.</p>
<p>Several Slytherins joined the Gryffindors and took seats on the opposite side of the room. They whispered amongst themselves, sending dirty looks and smirks towards the Gryffindors. Sirius muttered something about what the point of them even being here was.</p>
<p>The last of the students trickled in and took their seats. A very clear line of division between Gryffindor and Slytherin. Their number was odd and an open seat was left next to Alice. The lesson started and soon they were up out of their seats. The one thing that every student loved about DADA lessons was that they were practical based. Homework focused on reading and writing about theory but when they were in the class they learned by doing.</p>
<p>Peter groaned when James disarmed him for the third time in a row. He struggled a little more than his friends did with the non-verbal spells. He had made much improvement from the start of the year however.</p>
<p>James was doing his best to keep his attention focused on Peter but kept letting his gaze travel to the three Gryffindor girls in the corner near them. Instead of taking turns partnering with each other they were having a three way duel, and having what looked like a brilliant time of it. His wand went flying towards them. Peter jumped for joy, finally having disarmed his friend without needing to whisper the spell.</p>
<p>“Good one, Peter!” James called over his shoulder has he trotted over to retrieve his wand from the girls. “Alright, Lily?”</p>
<p>The girls stopped and looked at James. Lily tried to smile at James. She was worried he could see into her thoughts. Did he know that she finally read his letter? Or did he think that she had read it months ago and that’s why she had danced with him at his birthday? Before she even had a chance to reply James grabbed his wand off the floor and walked away.</p>
<p>“A little shy today, are we?” Marlene whispered a little loudly. Lily swatted her.</p>
<p>A stray spell hit the wall behind their heads. They looked across the room at the Slytherin who’d sent it. Marlene made a rude gesture with her hand. Sirius lazily flicked his wand at the boy with a rather successful Bat-Bogey hex.</p>
<p>Professor Cartage stepped in and forced the students back to task. As soon as he was back on the other side of the room correcting Dorcas, the Slytherins turned back to the Gryffindors in the corner.</p>
<p>“Hey Potter, how’s the Mudblood in bed? As dirty as her blood?” Nott called out, sending a cursetowards the girls.</p>
<p>Lily did bother to try the non-verbal spell. She had a strong shield up that deflected whatever curse had been directed at them. She sent her hex back at them.</p>
<p>“How are Smith’s sloppy seconds, Potter?” Snape sneered.</p>
<p>James and Remus stepped in front of Sirius. “Sirius, no!”</p>
<p>Sirius growled at them. “Don’t make me say it, Padfoot. I will.” Remus gave Sirius a reprimanding look. “Bad dog.”</p>
<p>Sirius threw one more look at Snape before he moved closer to Alice, Marlene, and Lily. Forcing the Slytherins to cast spells around him and James in order to hit the girls. Everyone including Lily knew she was the primary target of their hexes.</p>
<p>Remus started laughing at Sirius’s face. “If you behave maybe James and I will get you a treat after class.” He got his shield up just in time to deflect Sirius’s spell. The girls looked at them and shook their heads. Boys were weird.</p>
<hr/>
<p>During the last week of April the weather started to look up as spring started to bloom. More students took their books and assignments outside to enjoy the weather. It had been a long winter cooped up inside the castle. With the change in weather the mood around the castle lifted. The final Quidditch was coming up in a few weeks and it was sure to be a match of the century between Gryffindor and Slytherin.</p>
<p>April turned to May with a week of warm weather. James, Sirius, and Peter were in their usual spot by the lake. James and Sirius were watching the girls. It was one of those rare days in spring where the sun shone brightly. Lily’s hair flashed like fire as she gave Alice a good shove towards the lake.</p>
<p>“Lily! That water is freezing!” The little brunette shrieked as she regained her balance. “I don’t fancy a date with the squid just now, thanks!”</p>
<p>It was a splendid Sunday afternoon and even the NEWT students were taking a break from all their work. There seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel at last despite the cloud of final exams looming nearer.</p>
<p>Lily laid down on the grass and Marlene plopped down next to her. “James can’t take his eyes off you.” Lily turned her head ever so slightly. Sure enough James, Sirius, and Peter were sitting underneath that damn tree again. “No Remus today, he must be afraid of sunlight.”</p>
<p>“He’s working on our Herbology paper. I offered to stay and work with him but he said he wanted some solitude.” Alice said as she sat down on Lily’s other side. “He’s been looking a little wan the past few days. Lily, the two of you work too hard.”</p>
<p>Lily was going to reply that it took a lot of work to make it in to the training program at St. Mungo’s but didn’t have a chance. The three girls spun around to the shouts behind them. The Gryffindor boys were on their feet, wands out. Not twenty feet away Snape and two other Slytherin boys sent hexes flying their way.</p>
<p>“Sectumsempra!”</p>
<p>Sirius let out a shriek that made Lily’s stomach flip. The five boys stopped to look at Sirius in horror. The Slytherins took off back towards the castle at a run. The girls were on their feet, closing the gap between them and the boys.</p>
<p>“Sirius! Sirius, stop moving!” James was trying to stop the bleeding. He had a gash running the length of his upper arm spurting blood. James had his hands pressing on the wound.</p>
<p>Marlene’s face was white and she tried to help James apply pressure but the blood kept seeping. Lily took charge. “Alice, fetch Madam Pomfrey, quick! James, Marlene, move! Sirius, you need to stay still.”</p>
<p>The instruction to Sirius was unnecessary though, he was unconscious at this point. Lily summoned a bandage and wrapped it tight around Sirius’s arm. She could see the blood start to seep through it. “<em>Levicorpus</em>.” Sirius body rose from the ground.</p>
<p>Lily moved as quickly as she dared. James and Marlene flanked her, wands at the ready to catch Sirius if her spell broke. Peter kept on the lookout for trouble. They met Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall at the castle entrance. Both women maintained their composure. Madam Pomfrey escorted Lily and Sirius to the hospital wing.</p>
<p>“You four, with me.” McGonagall led the way to her office. “Miss King has given me a brief summary of what happened. Mr. Potter?”</p>
<p>James explained that the three boys had been taking a break from studying by the lake when a group of Slytherin boys had set upon them. He admitted that the two groups had had words that ended with wands. “I don’t know who it was, Professor. Honest. The next thing we knew Sirius was on the ground bleeding.”</p>
<p>Lily slipped into the office and closed the door behind her. James itched to turn and look at her but instead looked down at his hands. Sirius’s blood covered his hands.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sirius was at breakfast the next morning, right arm in a sling. It was the bargaining chip he had used to get Madam Pomfrey to let him leave the hospital wing. He sneered at Snape as he sat down.</p>
<p>“Those dirty bastards.” Sirius muttered as he struggled to cut his sausage with his fork in his left hand.</p>
<p>Remus sat on the inside of the table with his back to the Slytherins. He wanted to tell Sirius to let it go but he was far too tired with full moon tomorrow. James handed him a piece of chocolate from across the table. Remus gave him a tired smile.</p>
<p>Sirius watched Snape’s head turn as Lily walked into the Great Hall with Alice. His stomach hurt watching the look on Snape’s face. It was like he had some sick twisted obsession about Lily. The girls nodded a greeting to them before joining Dorcas and Mary further down the table.</p>
<p>“Sirius, promise me you won’t retaliate.” James begged of his brother. “McGonagall knows what they did.”</p>
<p>James waited until Sirius acknowledged him before he returned to talking with Peter. His skin prickled with goosebumps. Something was in the air and he didn’t like it.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sirius was hurrying to class, he had left his textbook in the dormitory and instead of making Remus chastise him, he decided to give his friend a full moon gift and actually went to fetch it. He hissed as Snape intentionally bumped into his bad arm in the corridor on the way into Charms. “You greasy git.”</p>
<p>Snape’s lips curled back. “Careful, Black. Mummy and Daddy aren’t here to carry you to the hospital wing.”</p>
<p>Sirius let out another hiss as he reflexively moved his arm to reach for his wand. Snape tutted him. “Maybe between you and Lupin you can have one functioning wizard. Oh. I forgot, doesn’t he go to visit his sick mum soon? Curious how he disappears every month isn’t it? Maybe you can with him now that Potter is shagging the mudblood.”</p>
<p>Sirius lost his temper. Despite the pain he ripped his arm from the sling and pinned Snape to the wall. “If you want to know so badly, why don’t creep down the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow tonight and find out for yourself.”</p>
<p>Blood seeped into his shirt. He let go of Snape and walked in to class. Lily took one look at both of them and buried her nose into the text she was reading. She wanted no part of that. James let out a sigh of frustration and told Sirius he should go to the hospital wing. Sirius sent Snape one more glare before informing Professor Flitwick he needed to return to the hospital wing.</p>
<p>James felt the heaviness around him. Both Sirius and Remus out of class. He doubted Madam Pomfrey would let Sirius out of the hospital wing tonight for the full moon which meant he and Peter would be on their own.</p>
<hr/>
<p>“How are you feeling?” Peter asked as he snacked on some of the chocolate he and James had brought Sirius.</p>
<p>It was late. Madam Pomfrey had told them to leave multiple times at this point and was growing more and more irritated. Sirius had somehow charmed her into giving them five more minutes at least five times.</p>
<p>“I’m fine, Pete. You two should get going, he’ll see the moon without you. I’m sorry that you’re going to have to manage Moony on your own tonight.” Sirius gave James an apologetic look. A glimmer of darkness passed over his face and he crossed his arms. “That greasy git has what’s coming for him.”</p>
<p>James looked at Sirius skeptically. “What are you planning on doing, exactly?”</p>
<p>Sirius’s face twisted into something ugly. “What makes you think I have anything to do with it?”</p>
<p>“Sirius, what did you do?” James was standing now and his voice was getting louder. He ignored Madam Pomfrey who was tutting them from her office. “Sirius.”</p>
<p>“He was being a git so I told him where he could find Moony.” James and Peter looked at Sirius and watched the colour drain from his face. “Merlin, what have I done?”</p>
<p>“Peter, find McGonagall.” James sprinted from the room. There was still time. He could make it. He had to make it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. A Lone Howl</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily looked out the window at the moon. Her heart squeezed. She sighed and turned back to her task. Her hand seized halfway down the page of notes. She shook her hand out and returned to copying what she’d written in that afternoon’s Charms class.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alice laughed as Frank peered around the corner. It was just past curfew and they both felt like first-years out of bed. He pulled her down the hallway towards the Room of Requirement. They ran as they heard someone coming.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Peter moved as fast as he could. He nearly fell down a flight of stairs but he managed to maintain his balance. He rounded the corner to the Transfiguration wing and tried to catch his breath before he pounded on Professor McGonagall’s office door.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Marlene sat in front of the fire in the Common Room. Something felt wrong. She could feel it in her stomach. It was the kind of feeling she got when she knew the boys were up to something. But there was something off about the off feeling. She looked around the room at all the fifth-, sixth-, and seventh-year students studying. The only one of her friends present was Lily.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sirius sat alone with his head in his hands. Tears slipped down his face. He rocked back and forth on the bed in attempt to comfort himself. What did I do? What did I do? What did I do?</p>
<hr/>
<p>James tore down the stairs in the entry way. He raced through the doors and out into the grounds. He saw the Whomping Willow freeze in the distance. Adrenaline propelled him forward. He slid into the tunnel as the tree swung a branch a moment too late to catch him.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Snape pushed the broken door open slowly. Wand out, ready for this to be some dirty trick by Black. He nearly dropped his wand when he saw the werewolf. He backed up a step and the floor creaked. He held his breath. He heard the heavy breath of the monster. He almost shrieked when the hand grabbed him from behind.</p>
<p>“C’mon!” James dragged Snape away, back down the tunnel. When Snape overcame the shock he stumbled into a full blown run. Both boys sprinted down the narrow passageway. Each throwing looks over the shoulders every few steps, wands in hand and ready.</p>
<p>They clamoured out of the tunnel entrance at the base of the tree. Ducking away from the flailing limbs they didn’t stop until they were out of reach of the tree. They flopped down onto the ground to catch their breath. It took them a moment to realize that they were not alone.</p>
<p>Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey all stood there staring at them. “Mr. Potter, Mr. Snape.”</p>
<p>Dumbledore looked to the tree and back at the boys. “Are you alright?”</p>
<p>“Professor Dumbledore! Remus Lupin is a —” Dumbledore held up his hand and Snape fell silent. “Minerva, if you would ask Horace to join us in my office. Poppy, if you would return to your patients. I see that your assistance is not needed here at this time.”</p>
<p>Dumbledore turned and made his way back towards the castle. James, very familiar with disciplinary processes, followed after him. McGonagall had to clear her throat and indicate Snape was to follow as well.</p>
<p>James and Snape didn’t look at each other as they followed Dumbledore to his office. It was a painful and awkward silence for both boys. How would they explain what happened tonight? Certainly Dumbledore knew Remus was a werewolf? Did he know about the other three boys being Animagi? Why was Snape there in the first place?</p>
<p>The hippogriff statue spiralled up and up to the headmaster’s office. Both boys followed him and stood in front of his desk as he settled. Snape, so eager to speak previously, was silent. “As I am sure you are both aware of by now, Mr. Lupin is afflicted with lycanthropy. And has been so since before arriving to this school. This is something that as headmaster I knew of. I put things into place as needed to ensure that he would be able pursue a normal wizarding education as both of you have been able to.”</p>
<p>Snape stared at Dumbledore like he had just turned into a werewolf. James tried to make himself small for the first time in his life. Someone rapped on the office door before opening it. McGonagall and Slughorn both entered, followed by Madam Pomfrey and Sirius. He was in his pajamas, arm in sling. His eyes were red from weeping but he had steeled himself on the walk from the hospital wing.</p>
<p>“I feel this conversation would be easier if we were all a little more comfortable.” Dumbledore stood and waved his wand. Six squishy armchairs appeared around his desk.</p>
<p>James refused to even look at Sirius. Anger that hadn’t had a chance to rise started to boil through him. He clenched his fists and stared down at them as he sank into the armchair. Sirius took one look at him and shrank into his seat.</p>
<p>“Mr. Potter, Mr. Black,” Dumbledore’s statement was a question. James looked up at the headmaster. The severity of the situation reflected in his eyes. All the mirth had been replaced by a sharpness.</p>
<p>Sirius turned his head ever so slightly to look at James. His best friend would not look at him but the boy on James’s either side sneered at him. Clearly all the shock that had impacted Snape previously had dissipated.</p>
<p>“Professor Dumbledore,” Sirius clenched his fists and prayed his voice would stop shaking. “Professor, this is my fault.”</p>
<p>McGonagall watched her student closely. She could not remember a time that Sirius Black had ever truly taken the responsibility for something. Not only that, but he meant it.</p>
<p>“I argued with Sn— Severus. In my anger I told him where he would be able to find Remus tonight.” Sirius looked down into his lap and tried to blink away the tears. “I am deeply sorry for my actions. To both Severus and Remus.”</p>
<p>Sirius took in a gasp for air and looked back up. He turned to Severus, “I should have not done what I did. James, I—”</p>
<p>James was trying hard to keep his own tears of fury at bay. He shook his head ever so slightly and looked up at the Sorting Hat on the shelf.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Mr. Black. Madam Pomfrey, if you would escort young Sirius back to the hospital wing. Might I suggest a draft to help with sleep? I fear tonight will be difficult.” Madam Pomfrey placed her hand lightly on Sirius shoulder and fussed over his arm as they made their way out of the office. “Mr. Potter, I fear I must ask something big of you. Could you please tell me the events that led to both yourself and Mr. Snape being in the Shrieking Shack tonight?”</p>
<p>James let out a breath. “Peter and I were visiting with Sirius tonight in the hospital wing. Professor, we’ve known about Remus’s — affliction — since third year.” Somewhere behind him he heard a familiar noise from McGonagall. “We live with him. He’s our brother. We figured it out and when we did we told Remus. He was worried that we thought him a monster but he’s not, Professor. Remus is one of the most compassionate and talented wizards I know —”</p>
<p>Dumbledore smiled at James as he watched the boy try to compose himself. “James, I am very much aware of the person that Remus Lupin is and continues to become. He is fortunate to have a friend who can see past what he is to who he is.”</p>
<p>“Pete and I were with Sirius in the hospital wing when Sirius told us what he had done. He regretted it the moment he realized what he’d done, Professor.” James knew he had to be careful with how much he said. “I knew that it couldn’t be long before Remus transformed. I told Peter to find Professor McGonagall. I knew from Remus that he was taken to the Shrieking Shack through a tunnel under the Whomping Willow to transform. I thought I had time to stop Severus before — before something happened.”</p>
<p>Slughorn was mumbling things to himself under his breath. Snape had curled his hands into his fists at this point. Heat emanated from him. All three adults were aware of the anger this boy was experiencing.</p>
<p>“I found Severus at the end of the tunnel. The door was broken and I could see past him to where Remus had transformed. I grabbed him and we ran back to the Whomping Willow.”</p>
<p>Everyone was quiet for a moment. Dumbledore watched both boys carefully. “James, I cannotbegin to express my appreciation for your quick thinking and courage tonight.” A small sigh escaped from the old wizard. “You have acted heroically, but as I am sure you are aware, all of these actions will need to maintain absolute secrect. For the sake of young Mr. Lupin who is an equal victim in this as Mr. Snape.”</p>
<p>James looked at the man. A knot in his chest released. “Of course, Professor.”</p>
<p>“Minerva, if you would escort Mr. Potter back to Gryffindor Tower. I would speak with Mr. Snape and Horace alone at this time. We can discuss Mr. Black’s punishment in the morning.”</p>
<p>As the office door closed, Snape was on his feet shouting at Professor Dumbledore. Minerva led him away before he could put together what the boy was saying. None of it good, for certain. They walked in silence all the way back to the tower. McGonagall stopped James at the Fat Lady’s portrait.</p>
<p>“James, I am incredibly proud of your actions tonight. You behaved as a true Gryffindor and prevented an irreparable accident from occurring. Thank you, for being the friend that Remus needs.” McGonagall dabbed her eyes with a handkerchief. She shooed him into the tower.</p>
<p>James looked around at the students who were still awake and studying. He looked around for Peter but he must have gone to their dormitory. Marlene was sitting by the fire, a look of distraction on her face. Lily was over in the corner writing furiously. For the first time in a long while, James felt alone. He crossed to the dormitory stairs and made the climb to his bed where he knew he would not get a wink of sleep tonight. Somewhere out in the night a lone howl echoed through the darkness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Growing Pains</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily and Marlene watched James come into the classroom alone. He looked lost. Alice was chatting animatedly beside them. She stopped talking when she saw who they were looking at.</p>
<p>“Sirius is still in the hospital wing and Remus isn’t back from visiting his mother yet.” Alice murmured softly. Arithmancy was one of the classes that Peter was not taking.</p>
<p>James normally sat with Sirius and Remus normally sat beside one of the girls, usually Lily. James looked over at the three girls and then to his usual spot. Lily’s stuff sat on the seat next to her, knowing that Remus wouldn’t be in class today.</p>
<p>Marlene couldn’t miss the look of hopelessness. Something was wrong. She grabbed Lily’s things and dumped them on the floor. Lily didn’t even object. “James! Come sit with us!”</p>
<p>The boy looked at them glumly before sinking down into his seat. He placed folded arms in front of him on the desk and set his chin on top of them. What might have been the first time in Marauder history, James sat alone in a class and focused on the lesson.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Madam Pomfrey allowed Sirius out of the hospital wing at dinner. He took one look at the curtained bed at the end of the wing before being ushered out by Madam Pomfrey. He desperately wished he could go back in time and stop himself from doing what he did.</p>
<p>Snape was coming out of the door to the dungeons as Sirius came down the stairs to the Great Hall. A look of absolute hatred plastered to his face. Sirius followed him through the great doors, making sure to give him enough space. Each boy went in opposite directions to their respective tables. James and Peter were sitting near the end of the table talking quietly. Peter saw Sirius first.</p>
<p>“Padfoot!” Peter waved and smiled. James looked up and frowned. Sirius sat down beside Peter and looked across the table at James.</p>
<p>“James, I —” Sirius started to try to apologize as James stood up. “Wait, don’t go.”</p>
<p>“I’m not that hungry anymore.” James didn’t look back.</p>
<p>Marlene watched the trio. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that something had happened. A big something. Lily felt a pit forming in her stomach. Normally the day after the full moon the boys were falling asleep over their meals but in good spirits. She hadn’t seen them this way ever.</p>
<p>“What do you think they fought about?” Marlene asked as she turned her attention back to Lily. Alice was eating with Frank and some of the seventh-years down the table. Lily was still a sore spot with the other seventh-years though Frank and Alice did a good job of remaining neutral in the spat.</p>
<p>Lily looked at Sirius. She could see the guilt oozing from him. “Sirius did something and James isn’t happy about it.”</p>
<p>“What makes you say that?” Marlene knew that the boys fought but she had never known them to hold grudges afterwards.</p>
<p>“James Potter left a plate full of food on the table when Sirius sat down. Have you ever known either of those boys not to lick their plates clean? Sirius isn’t even eating.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Remus entered the dormitory late in the evening two days after the full moon. He looked between Sirius and James. Devastation written across his face. “Professor McGonagall told me what happened. Thank you, James.”</p>
<p>Despite feeling exhausted and looking worse, Remus grabbed his school bag and left. Sirius watched him go. Trying to find the words to make him stay. James hung his head and struck his fist on the bedpost. He thought about going after him for a moment but decided against it. Remus needed space and nothing James said now was going to make a difference.</p>
<p>The Common Room had been mostly cleared out save the fifth-years up, all of whom were studying like mad men with final exams quickly approaching. Lily sat at a table she had snagged early in the afternoon. She had chosen not to go down for dinner. For one she didn’t have much of an appetite. She also couldn’t bear the sight of the Marauders not talking to each other. Even though they had driven her made for what felt like an eternity, it was just wrong to see them not together.</p>
<p>Remus appeared in the middle of the room looking for a place to sit. Most surfaces had been spoken for at this point. He and Lily looked up at the same time. Lily kicked out the chair on the other side of the table and gave him a warm smile. He hesitated for a moment before walking over to her.</p>
<p>“Is it okay if I sit with you, Lily?” He asked tiredly.</p>
<p>“Of course, Remus. Are you sure you want to study right now though? Maybe you should get some rest?” Lily offered him a piece of chocolate from the bar she had open next to her. She had decided that she was allowed to have a piece every time she got to the end of a page. It was a motivation system that was working rather well.</p>
<p>The sandy-haired boy scowled slightly before sitting down. “I’m just a little tired is all. I’ll be fine. I can’t afford to fall behind.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of, here.” Lily pulled a bundle of parchment out and handed it to Remus. He looked at her questioningly. “Notes from the past three days. I can’t help you with History of Magic but I figured this might help.”</p>
<p>Remus sat there speechless. He was always in awe of the person that Lily Evans was. “Thank you, Lily.” He bit back a heavy breath and tried to maintain composure.</p>
<p>Lily watched him for a moment. “Remus, I don’t know what is going on with the boys but if you ever need someone, I’m here for you.” She gave him a reassuring look. “No matter what.”</p>
<p>A debate raged in her head whether or not she should tell him that she knew. Little did she know that Remus was having the same argument with himself. Both decided against it. Eventually, Remus let the tension go. Lily was being Lily, a kind person who could see he was hurting and wanted to help.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The next week was filled with discomfort in Gryffindor Tower. The whole school knew that Sirius Black had been removed from the Quidditch team and was in detention every night. James and Sirius weren’t talking to each other, Sirius and Remus weren’t talking to each, James and Remus were lukewarm with one another, and Peter ran back and forth between the boys as messenger. Saying meals were uncomfortable was an understatement. Remus had chosen to not sit with the other boys. He now sat with Lily, Marlene, and occasionally Alice and Frank if they weren’t off snogging somewhere.</p>
<p>Lily and Remus left their friends after dinner Friday night for Prefect duties. Marlene quickly turned to Frank and Alice and told them the she was kidnapping Alice for a girls night and Frank could bugger off. Frank raised his hands in defeat as he got up from the table. He gave Alice a quick peck on the cheek before telling them he’d be in the library studying.</p>
<p>The sixth-year Gryffindor prefects wandered along the Charms hallway. Remus stopped halfway down the hall. He took a deep breath and exhaled. Lily stopped and looked at him.</p>
<p>“Lily, I need to tell you something. I should have told you before now and I’ll understand if you don’t want to be my friend after this.” Remus tried to form the words but they wouldn’t come out.</p>
<p>“Remus, I already know.” Lily smiled up at him. “They call you Moony for Merlin’s sake.”</p>
<p>The girl raised her eyebrow and told him that they could talk while they walked. Remus trotted to catch up. “How long have you known?”</p>
<p>“Mmm, sometime in third year? I had my suspicions for a while and then Sirius started calling you Moony and making comments about your furry little problem.” Lily ignored the look on his face when she mentioned Sirius’s name. This time she stopped and looked at him. She tried hard not to laugh. “Did you think I would think you’re a monster? You’re wearing a sweater with elbow patches and you walk around handing chocolate out to crying first-years.”</p>
<p>Remus chuckled a little. “And I know three boys who think the same thing. What happened? Why are you fighting?”</p>
<p>“We’re not fighting.” Remus muttered petulantly. “We’re not talking to each and you know there’s a difference. Don’t tell me you forgot the time fourth-year when you refused to talk to Marlene because she tried to trick you into a date with James in Hogsmeade.”</p>
<p>“That was completely different.” Lily tried to maintain the look of disdain on her face but she couldn’t. She started laughing and then Remus was laughing. They rounded the corner towards the library.</p>
<p>James was on his way back to Gryffindor Tower. He looked at the two of them laughing. His hand went to the back of his head, ruffling his hair. Lily looked from Remus to James and back. She and Remus stopped walking.</p>
<p>“James,” Remus nodded curtly and then started walking. Lily looked confused and shrugged her shoulders to James.</p>
<p>After rounding the corner at the end of the corridor, Lily asked Remus what the boys had done to cause him so much pain. She knew that they knew Remus was a werewolf. But they must have done something last week to cause this fracture in their group. Lily could tell Sirius must have played a big part in this.</p>
<p>Remus looked away from Lily. “Sirius told Snape about me. I have no idea how Dumbledore has gotten him to stay quiet about it either. I keep waiting for the rest of the school to find out.”</p>
<p>“If Dumbledore spoke to Snape then he’ll keep quiet.” Lily told Remus. She reached for his hand. It was clammy and warm. “I’m sorry that Sirius did that. You deserve better. Why aren’t you speaking with James?” A tiny piece of her prayed that he hadn’t been part of the trick on Snape. She had only just admitted to that part that there was a chance she might actually be warming up to him. She had started calling him James for Merlin’s sake.</p>
<p>Colour bloomed on Remus’s cheeks. “James stopped Snape. He risked his life to save him.”</p>
<p>It was Lily’s turn to stop walking. James Potter had risked his life to save the life of Severus Snape. If it wasn’t coming from Remus she would never have believed it. “Remus, I don’t understand.”</p>
<p>“Sirius told James what he had done and instead of going to find a teacher, he ran after Snape. James must have gotten there just in time, though I don’t have much recollection of it. Dumbledore told me that both he and Snape saw me transformed.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>After another week, Remus had started speaking more frequently with James but was still very much reserved. Sirius was still in the dog house with his friends though. Lily couldn’t help it, she felt bad for him. Anyone could see that he was kicking himself harder than anyone else. What was worse is that Gryffindor knew their odds to beat Slytherin in the final match of the season had shrunk enormously with the loss of Sirius as beater.</p>
<p>McGonagall had been quite clear when she had explained to Sirius his punishment. He would sit in detention for the remainder of the year with the exception of the Gryffindor-Slytherin match. Sirius had thought he had misheard her at first. He knew Minerva McGonagall just about lived for Quidditch though you would be hard pressed to get her to admit it.</p>
<p>“You heard correctly, Mr. Black. You will not serve detention the day of the final match. You will watch it from the stands with the rest of the students.”</p>
<p>Sirius thought he was going to be sick. To miss the last match for detention was one thing. Especially given he should have been expelled for his actions. Instead he was going to have to watch every minute of the game and sit in his guilt. If they lost, he knew he carried some of the blame. If they won, it was not his victory to claim.</p>
<p>Sirius walked alongside McGonagall down to the pitch. None of the Slytherins dared taunt him, not with McGonagall there. He almost wished they would. He felt so much anger inside and he didn’t know what to do with it.</p>
<p>The Gryffindor team lost their first match since Sirius was in his third-year. McGonagall did not make him walk back to the castle with her. He was left alone with the cheers from Slytherins and the jeers from the rest of the houses. When he finally wandered into Gryffindor Tower the disappointment was palpable. Remus sat in a corner with Lily, notes and books spread between them.</p>
<p>Down by the pitch, James watched his team file out of the locker room. He waved them on saying he was going to polish his broomstick. He didn’t notice Marlene come in.</p>
<p>“Are you going to tell me what’s wrong, little brother?”</p>
<p>James looked up at her, the corner of his mouth tugging ever so slightly. The smile didn’t meet his eyes. He ruffled up the back of his hair. “I never was a good loser.”</p>
<p>Marlene sat down on the bench beside him. She slung her arm over his shoulder. “You’d think after growing up with me you’d better at it since you had a lot of practice. But there’s more to it than that. You look like you’re alone is this world even though you’re not.”</p>
<p>James told her roughly the story of what happened with a lot of omission. He knew that Remus had struggled with his intimacy with Marlene because of his affliction. If he told her too much neither of them would be pleased. She sat by him, start to finish, asking few questions.</p>
<p>With a heavy sigh, Marlene squeezed James’s shoulder. “It sounds like Sirius needs his brother right now.”</p>
<p>Marlene left as quietly as she had come. James sat there for a few moments longer. One of his favourite things about the Quidditch pitch was its smell. He hung his Quidditch robes in his cubby. He tipped his head back to the late afternoon sun. June was creeping around the corner and with it came the promise of summer. The last summer that James would have to sit around and relax. A summer he should spend planning pranks and mischief. The reality of it was that James knew this summer would not be like that. Somewhere in the last year James had stopped being a kid. What terrified him most was that he didn’t know when that happened.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Laughter is the Best Medicine</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily rested her head on the open tome in front of her. She felt like her brain was melting. The symbols had all started to blur together at this point. Marlene and Remus sat with her in a corner of the library. Despite the breezes blowing through the opened windows everything was hot and muggy. Two days and three exams stood between the sixth-year students and their summer break. Fortunately for the three Gryffindors they only had to sit two of those three exams as none of them had continued with Astronomy this year.</p>
<p>Marlene let out a sound of exasperation. She was working practice problems for Ancient Runes. “I can’t keep my eyes straight. These translations don’t make sense anymore. I’m done. There’s nothing I’m going to learn between now and nine tomorrow morning that’s going to make a difference.”</p>
<p>She packed up her bag and told the other two she’d meet them back in the Common Room. Remus nodded goodbye to her and turned back to his own notes. Lily smiled at him. The new moon brought so much energy to him.</p>
<p>“Isn’t this cute?” A fifth-year Slytherin named Griggs had exited the row of shelves to the right of the table. Grey and green eyes looked at him for a split second before turning back to texts. “Is Evans as good a shag as McKinnon, Lupin? I hear you’ve been spending an awful lot of time cozied up to each other.”</p>
<p>“Ten points from Slytherin, now run along. Wouldn’t want to fail that Transfiguration final tomorrow. McGonagall has been known to transfigure students who fail her OWL exam into ferrets.</p>
<p>Griggs sneered but left with the book he’d been looking for in the shelves. “Remus Lupin, you are so full of it. She does not.”</p>
<p>Remus shrugged his shoulders and smirked. The dumb Slytherin didn’t know that and he was willing to bet the kid was so sleep deprived worrying about his OWLs that it wouldn’t surprise him if McGonagall did transfigure kids who failed.</p>
<p>“How long are you going to not talk to Sirius?” Lily asked, mostly out of curiousity. In all fairness, she didn’t know how long she would hold a grudge over the boy for what he did.</p>
<p>A heavy sigh escaped Remus. He was still looking at his text. “Well I haven’t quite forgiven James for putting his life at risk so that’s how long.”</p>
<p>“Seriously, Remus!” Lily scowled when he quirked an eyebrow at her from over his book. “No. You don’t get to say you’re not talking to Sirius and then use that joke. I’m forbidding it. You should forgive James. Haven’t you seen how much this is hurting him?”</p>
<p>Remus wanted to comment on how much this entire situation was hurting him but he really didn’t want to openly admit that. Instead he decided to take the heat off himself. “Defending James? That’s interesting, it was about this time last year where I wouldn’t have put it past you to physically drown him in the lake.”</p>
<p>“That’s low, even for you Lupin.” Lily tried to glare across the table at him but she couldn’t hold it. “You’re much harder to glare at than Potter is.”</p>
<p>“Oh, back to Potter? I thought we were making such good progress.” Remus snapped his finger in an aw shucks manner.</p>
<p>Lily propped her fists her hips. “Though I’m loathe to admit it, you and I both know that he’s grown up. This time last year he would have been laughing alongside Sirius about what happened in May.”</p>
<p>“Yes, he would have. And I wouldn’t be studying for exams if he had.” Remus and Lily let that sober them both some. “I’m grateful for his actions but I am still mad at them.”</p>
<p>They sat silent for a while, trying to focus on their studying. Few students interrupted them in their corner, part of why they’d chosen it. A handful of their fellow prefects and older students that they were friends with said hello when they grabbed texts and tomes from shelves for their studying.</p>
<p>“Remus, would you want to be my date to my sister’s wedding in August?” She had his attention fully. “Just think about it.”</p>
<p>He said it so softly that if Lily hadn’t been paying attention she would have missed it. “You really should take James. Parents love James.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>Alice dipped her toes in the lake. She shrieked when Marlene came up behind her and pretended to push her in. “Marlene!” Alice flailed to regain her balance and grabbed onto the blonde girl to save herself from tumbling into the water. Unfortunately for Marlene, she wasn’t prepared for the sudden pull forwards. Both girls fell into the water with a big splash.</p>
<p>“Bloody hell this water is freezing!” Alice screamed as she clamoured out. Lily was rolling on the ground laughing at her friends. She knew better than to get anywhere near the water with these two fools around.</p>
<p>Marlene magicked her clothes dry and sat down next to Lily. “A little different than last year, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>“It is,” Lily looked up at the clouds that past overhead. There was more sunlight than cloud in the sky today, something the students were happy about. At least everyone but the seventh-years who were still in the middle of their NEWT examinations. “Do you remember when it happened?”</p>
<p>Marlene looked over at her friend, “When what happened?’</p>
<p>“When we stopped being kids.” Lily lay down in the grass and breathed in its earthy smell. “I mean you shagged Remus and Alice has blossomed into a downright terror.”</p>
<p>“I resent that. I am not a terror. At least not to you two. But those Death Eaters better watch themselves once I become an auror.” Alice sat in the grass in front of Lily pulling dandelions from the ground. She started weaving a crown from the weed-flowers.</p>
<p>“You’re not jealous that I shagged Remus are you?” Marlene looked at Lily sideways. “I know that you two have gotten close over the past month and I wouldn’t be upset if you wanted to be with him.”</p>
<p>Lily laughed, “I don’t like Remus like that. He’s a very good friend and we’re happy just as we are. I meant more that this time last year we weren’t thinking of anything past snogging a bloke and now one of us has gone and shagged one.”</p>
<p>“Aww, Lily! Don’t worry, you and Alice will shag a bloke eventually.” Marlene giggled as Lily pushed her and she looked at Alice who was blushing to the roots of her har. “Alice! You didn’t even tell us!”</p>
<p>Lily bolted up to a seated position and grabbed Alice’s wrist. “When? Where? We know it was Frank!”</p>
<p>“Shhhhh!” Alice looked around at the other clusters of students who had made their way down to the clearing. “Not long after we came back from Easter. Beginning of May.”</p>
<p>“Well I guess that settles it then.” Marlene laughed and looked at Lily. “If we ever need to perform some black magic you get to be the sacrificial lamb, Lily!”</p>
<p>“I thought her patronus was a doe?” Remus had been making his way over to the girls. He settled on Lily’s open side. “What’s this about a lamb?”</p>
<p>Marlene cackled as Alice and Lily threw dirty looks at her. “Sorry Remus, I’ve been sworn to secrecy by the sisterhood. I can’t tell you why Lily gets to be the sacrifice.”</p>
<p>Remus rolled his eyes and extended his lanky legs in from him. He nudged Lily’s foot. She shook her head and then rolled her eyes. Marlene started to giggle. Lily shot her a look. Alice presented her crown to the three. She grinned devilishly at Remus and then crawled over on her knees to place the crown atop his head. Lily and Marlene laughed at the boy with the flower crown.</p>
<p>“Super cute, Remus,” Marlene was working on a matching bracelet to give to the boy.</p>
<p>They didn’t miss the giggles from a group of fourth-year Ravenclaws close to the big oak tree. Lily nudged Remus and nodded her head at his admirers. He was not a Marauder for naught. Remus turned to look at the group of girls and bowed to them. The crown stayed in place. The cluster squealed with delight.</p>
<p>Peter and James came traipsing through the dandelions. Another round of giggles went through the gaggle of girls by the tree. They stopped a foot from Remus.</p>
<p>“Moony. We have decided that you do not get to shut us out any longer. We are officially ending this stalemate.” James plopped down on to the ground beside Remus. Peter beside him.</p>
<p>Remus gave James a confused look. “You don’t get to make that decision.”</p>
<p>Lily nudged Remus’s foot with hers. A gesture that James didn’t miss. He would be lying if he didn’t say he was jealous of how their relationship had developed over the past few weeks. He knew that they were friends, they spent enough time studying and patrolling together but this past month had developed into something more than friendship.</p>
<p>Remus growled and then sighed. He tried to give Lily a look but she crossed her arms and raised her brow. She had only been trying to get him to accept James’s apology since she had learned Remus told James he ‘heard’ the apology.</p>
<p>“Okay, fine. James, I accept your apology.” Remus made a very grumpy old man face which cause the other five students to laugh as he was still wearing his crown.</p>
<p>The sun was starting to descend towards the hills around the castle when the six students made their way back up the hill. Remus, Marlene, and Alice were a little ahead debating a question from the Arithmancy exam. Lily had decided she’d rather walk with James than listen to that argument for the tenth time.</p>
<p>James cleared his throat. Peter made some lame excuse about wanting to know a little more about Arithmancy and trotted to catch up to the other three. “Smooth, Potter.”</p>
<p>Lily kind of liked the way he squirmed. Merlin did she want to be the one ruffling his hair the way he was right now. “I — Lily, I would like to write to you this summer. Would it be okay if I did that?” Lily stopped to look at him. Her green eyes seemed to look into his very soul. James shifted from left to right and gave another ruffle to the back of his already messy hair.</p>
<p>“I would like that.” Lily gave him a small smile and trotted to catch up to the others. She left James standing there in disbelief. His heart pounded in his ears. It took a few moments for him to register that she had said yes. A grin spread across his face. He had to find out what Moony had said to her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>That night in the dormitory Remus flicked the lights out. James immediately flicked them back on. “Moony, what did you say to Lily?”</p>
<p>Remus let out a very wolf-like growl and sat up in bed. He glared across the room at James who was sitting up as well. “You couldn’t have done this before now, really?”</p>
<p>“Moony, she said I could write to her this summer. What have you two been doing for the past month?” James eyes were as big as saucers.</p>
<p>“We’ve been studying for exams.” Remus leaned back and flicked the lights off. The lights flicked back on. Remus sat up to tell James to sod off but realized it was Sirius who had turned them back on. “Damnit, Sirius!”</p>
<p>“Remus, I’m tired of not talking to you! Merlin’s beard you have no idea how sorry I am about what I did! Please talk to me!” Sirius was sitting cross legged at the end of his bed.</p>
<p>“Padfoot, you’re begging.” Peter muttered groggily from his bed. “We went over this.”</p>
<p>“If I have to grovel at Moony’s feet to get him to talk to me again I swear I’ll do it.”</p>
<p>That piqued Remus’s interest. “Grovel, you say?” Remus swung his long legs out of bed and stood up. He crossed his arms on his chest and waited.</p>
<p>James burst out laughing. “Better get out of bed Padfoot and start grovelling.”</p>
<p>Sirius didn’t even hesitate. He was so tired of being lonely. He had spent the last forty-seven days minus one Quidditch match in detention where he had plenty of time to think while doing menial labour. “Remus John Lupin, please forgive me for my actions. I did not mean for any harm to come to anyone. You are superior to this lowly Animagus dog.” Sirius had wrapped his arms and legs around Remus’s legs and looked up at him.</p>
<p>To Remus’s credit, he tried very very hard not to laugh. He laughed so hard he started crying. He missed this. They all missed this. The late night laughter that filled the dormitory. The wound to his heart was healing. There would always be a scar there but with time it would fade. He tried to shake Sirius off his legs. “Down boy! Heel!”</p>
<p>Sirius yapped a bark and tried to hold onto Remus’s legs. Suddenly he was morphing into Padfoot and bounding around the room. James and Remus told him to stop barking. Someone pounded on their dormitory door. All three boys and dog froze. Padfoot crawled under Remus’s bed.</p>
<p>Remus composed himself and crossed to the door. He opened it to find one Colin Smith who looked ready to burn their room to the ground. “Would you lot shut it! Some of us still have exams to take.” He didn’t wait for a response. Colin turned on his heel and returned to his own dorm.</p>
<p>“What a wanker.” Sirius had transformed back and sat down on his bed. “I’m so glad Lily broke up with him.”</p>
<p>“Erm, Padfoot, he broke up with Lily, remember?” Peter reminded him.</p>
<p>Sirius looked affronted. “How dare he do that to my Lilyflower!”</p>
<p>“Your Lilyflower?” James chucked a dirty shirt at him.</p>
<p>Sirius waggled his eyebrows, “Sorry, Prongsie. We were going to tell you, we just hadn’t gotten around to it yet.”</p>
<p>James chucked a pillow this time. Sirius dodged it and stuck his tongue out. “She said I could write to her this summer. Which takes me back to my original question. Moony! What have you been telling her?”</p>
<p>“Sorry, Prongs. I don’t kiss and tell.” Remus winked at his friend.</p>
<p>“Ooooooooo!” Sirius was now standing on his bed. “Remus kissed Lily! And now he’s going to die.”</p>
<p>Remus snorted. “As if Bambi over here could kill me.”</p>
<p>“Her patronus is a doe! We. Are. Soul. Mates!” James launched himself at Remus, tackling him on to his bed. Sirius pretended to be a commentator and called the shots. Peter made appropriate oohs and aahs. Remus pinned James under him.</p>
<p>“I am the champion! The fair lady’s heart is mine!” Remus puffed out his chest. He managed to keep James pinned underneath him.</p>
<p>“You’re such a dork, Moony. Get off me!” James tried to topple his large friend. He was a lot more solid than he looked.</p>
<p>Their shenanigans went late into the night. Eventually Remus put a silencing spell on the room so that they wouldn’t disturb the NEWT students further. He fell asleep with a smile on his face for the first time in weeks. The Marauders were back to being four boys strong and they all knew that they were stronger together.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Secrets and Surprises</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Upon returning home for the summer, Lily learned that her sister and Vernon had decided to push their wedding to the end of September instead of the end of August as previously planned. Lily acted appropriately disappointed for her parents sake, on the inside she couldn’t help but be relieved. What was more is that the professors had set a literal mountain of homework for the sixth-year students for the summer. It was a fantastic excuse for Lily to avoid being involved in wedding planning conversations. Not that Petunia wanted her there but Mrs. Evans did. Naturally Lily finished all the work in the first week of the holiday before beginning her rounds of rereading all her favourite books.</p>
<p>It was now midway through July and Lily couldn’t handle Petunia any longer. She had to use all her self-restraint to not talk about magic or intentionally freak Petunia out. Of course she managed to do it on accident at least five times a day.</p>
<p>Lily was washing the dishes by hand. And seriously considering pulling out her wand to help herself now that she was no longer underage. Petunia shrieked as an owl tapped on the window. Lily dropped the plate she’d been washing into the sink with a splash.</p>
<p>“It’s a bird, Tuney. Just a bird.” Lily muttered as she wiped her hands on the floral apron and let the owl into the kitchen. She was James’s beautiful barn owl, Stella. “Leave it to James to pick the prettiest owl.”</p>
<p>Stella cooed at the compliment and nipped Lily’s finger. She fluttered to the still open window gave a soft hoot and took off. Lily looked at the familiar script on the parchment and a flutter of her own bounced through her chest.</p>
<p>“Stop it. He’s just a boy and you’re just friends with him.” Lily set the letter aside and hurried to finish the dishes.</p>
<p>Petunia glared at her from the sitting room as Lily bounded up the stairs two at a time letter in hand. “Freak.”</p>
<p>
  <em>Lily,</em>
</p>
<p><em>I hope you’re well. I’m writing to tell you that if I lose my sanity over the course of the next six weeks that the blame falls on the shoulders of Sirius and Marlene who might as well be shagging but aren’t. Honestly the amount of tension between them is driving me mad. I’m going to have to be locked away in one of those madhouses the muggles have if I have to hear my father try to give Sirius the ‘talk’ one more time. It’s a shame about your sister’s wedding. Between you and me, Remus was really looking forward to it. He was flattered that you asked him to be your date. I on the other hand am put out that you did not ask me. Sirius hasn’t shut up about it not being him for two weeks. </em> <em>Please save me</em> <em>!</em></p>
<p>
  <em>Marlene said she was going to write you but I figured I would ask. AS FRIENDS! Sirius, Marlene, and I are going to Diagon Alley the first weekend in August to pick up our supplies and it would be great if you would come too. Marlene said Alice would probably come.</em>
</p>
<p>Lily looked up as she heard a tap on her bedroom window. This time it was Marlene’s owl. She was certain this was Marlene’s letter telling Lily the same information James was. She let the owl in and laid some owl pellets out on her desk.</p>
<p>
  <em>Lily!</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>James is such a wanker. He thinks that because you’re letting him write to you over the summer that it means he can try to usurp me. Queenie will not leave until you reply to my letter. Tell me you’ll meet us in Diagon Alley the first Saturday of August! Then you can come spend that first week with me and Alice.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>XOXO</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Mar</em>
</p>
<p>Queenie hooted impatiently. She matched Marlene’s personality. Lily chuckled as she penned a quick reply to Marlene telling her she needed to ask her parents first but it was likely a yes. She settled back on the bed and picked up James’s letter again. There was that little flip in her stomach again.</p>
<p>
  <em>I’m looking forward to seeing our new Head Girl in person. Don’t be bashful, there’s no one else Dumbledore would pick. I promise to be on my best behaviour this year. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>James</em>
</p>
<p>Lily felt all warm and tingly inside. Mrs. Evans popped her head in to Lily’s room and smiled. “Lily dear, why don’t you come and join your father and I in the den?”</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans didn’t miss her daughter tuck the note she’d been reading into the now tattered copy of <em>Peter Pan</em>. A special book for a special note? Mother and daughter made their way down to the den. Mr. Evans was reading the paper. This round of radiation was really taking a toll on him. Lily kissed his cheek and then settled into her favourite arm chair by the record player.</p>
<p>“Anything you’d like to tell us, dear?” Mrs. Evans had picked up her knitting.</p>
<p>“Actually, would it be alright if I met up with Alice and Marlene in Diagon Alley on the seventh? And could I go and stay with Marlene for the week after that?”</p>
<p>Mr. Evans looked at Lily over the paper. His glasses down at the end of his beaky nose. He glanced sideways at Mrs. Evans. The two shared a look. “Will there be any boys?”</p>
<p>Lily maintained her composure although on the inside her brain was headed towards full out crisis mode. Her parents couldn’t know. Lily didn’t even know herself if she liked James. “I think some of the boys from our year will be around. Marlene is really good friends with James and Sirius.”</p>
<p>“So which one have you been getting letters from for the past two weeks?” Mrs. Evans didn’t even look up. If Lily didn’t know any better she’d say her mother had been spying on her.</p>
<p>“I’ve been writing to a few people over the past few weeks. It’s strange going from sharing a dormitory with four other girls to having a room to myself.”</p>
<p>Mr. Evans let out a laugh. “That is a diplomat’s response, miss. Now answer your mother’s question. Which boy have you been writing to?”</p>
<p>Lily scowled slightly at her father. “I’ve been writing to James and Remus mostly.”</p>
<p>“And will Remus be at Diagon Alley?” Mrs. Evans asked. Lily always said nice things about the boy and they seemed to be good friends. The way Lily had explained it they had spent much of their last term together.</p>
<p>“Mum, I’m not dating Remus. We’re really good friends. Anyways he and Marlene were together last year.”</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans smiled at her daughter. She nodded towards Lily’s father. “Alright, you can go to stay with Marlene but no boys.”</p>
<p>Lily promised her parents that there would be no boys around Marlene’s except for her brother Max. Lily further explained she had it on good authority from Marlene that he was in a rather serious relationship right now. She also told them that Max was not fond of the boys in a big brother protector way nor did he live at home. Max had his own flat but came around for Sunday dinners. This seemed to satisfy the Evans’.</p>
<p>Mr. Evans closed the newspaper, folded it, and placed it on the table beside him. In his lap was a small jewelry box, the kind that rings came in. “Your mother was looking for some things for your sister’s wedding when she came across these. I gave them to her a long time ago.”</p>
<p>The box opened to reveal a pair of absolutely gorgeous art deco style earrings. The center stone in each was a deep emerald with tiny diamonds that spiked out around it. They were the most beautiful thing that she had seen. Lily sat down on the floor beside her father and accepted the little box from him.</p>
<p>“Mum, these are beautiful. Are you sure that you want to part with them? Thank you!” Lily pulled the little pearl studs she had in her ears out and put on the new earrings. “What do you think? How do they look?”</p>
<p>Mrs. Evans stood up and crossed to her daughter. She knelt down on the floor and pulled a few pins from Lily’s hair. She gently rolled the hair back from Lily’s face on either side and pinned it back. “With a little bit of lipstick, you’d look like an actress straight from the silver screen.”</p>
<p>Lily couldn’t help herself, she got up and went to the hall to look in the mirror in the entry way. She could see it. A deep red lip and a cat-eye and Lily would be like some of those American actresses of the 1930s. A shimmering green gown came to mind, off the shoulder with a flare at mid-thigh. She didn’t see her mother peering around the doorway at her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James was sitting at the kitchen table, shovelling pancakes into his mouth when Sirius walked in looking rather groggy. The boy sat down across from James and stacked pancakes on his plate. They were halfway through their third helping when Stella swooped in through the open window. She dropped envelopes in front of the nearly empty serving plate.</p>
<p>“Hogwarts letters,” James murmured as he reached for his. Sirius mumbled something with a mouth full of pancake that James couldn’t understand. “Honestly, Padfoot.”</p>
<p>The first piece of parchment was the standard letter informing him of the necessary supplies for the year. Also included on this was a list of items that were banned. Sirius got a good laugh out of that. James had to read the second page three times before he realized that some type of mistake had to have been made. He hadn’t heard Sirius trying to talk to him until the other boy snatched the parchment from his hand.</p>
<p>“Have they finally decided not let you back? How sad.”</p>
<p>
  <em>HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dear Mr. Potter,</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as Head Boy for the academic year of 1977-‘78. Enclosed you will find your badge. You will be responsible, alongside the appointed Head Girl, to lead the student prefects this year and setting an example for the student body as a whole. On September 1st, please report to the Prefects’ Carriage at the front of the Hogwarts Express. There you and the Head Girl will direct the appointed prefects to their patrols on the train.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress</em>
</p>
<p>“They’ve gone off their rockers. You? Head Boy?” Sirius was barking laughter. “What is Lilyflower going to say when she realizes she has to work the whole year with you? How is she going to feel living with you? Going to get all cozy in the Heads’ dorm? Merlin, Prongs! We have access to the Heads’ dorm now!”</p>
<p>Euphemia entered the kitchen to find out what the ruckus was. The Head Boy badge was sitting on the table between her two sons. She watched James try and snatch the piece of parchment back. They both froze when they saw her. James made one more grab for the page but Sirius held his arm out in front of him handing it straight to Euphemia. He stuck his tongue out at James.</p>
<p>“Don’t tell me that Minerva is sending home a letter before you’ve even gotten to school yet.” Euphemia adjusted her glasses and read the letter. “Oh, James. Your father will be so proud.”</p>
<p>James flushed and accepted the letter back. For a moment he thought Sirius might be jealous but his shaggy-haired friend was already planning how to use the Heads’ dorm. Euphemia pretended not to hear him. She gave James a hug and took her cup of tea back to the library.</p>
<p>“You don’t think they would give Head Girl to anyone other than Lily, do you?” Suddenly a hole opened up in James’s stomach. What ifs flew around in his head. “I mean, I’m not a prefect so they could give Head Girl to any seventh-year girl, right?”</p>
<p>“Well you’ll just have to wait and see won’t you?” Sirius laughed. James sprinted from the kitchen towards the grand staircase. Sirius chased after him. “You don’t get to owl her, that’s cheating!”</p>
<p>Sirius and James grappled their way down the hallway, knocking paintings askew. The occupants of those paintings were less than pleased about this. Finally they reached James’s bedroom only to find that Stella was not in her cage. James cursed when he realized he had owled Remus this morning and that she had not returned yet.</p>
<p>“Guess you’ll have to wait.” Sirius practically skipped from the room.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Sirius caught James preening in front of the mirror. “Hot date, Prongs?”</p>
<p>James flicked sparks from his wand at Sirius. “Can you not?”</p>
<p>“Trying to look sexy for Lily? You might as well not even bother trying. Not when you’ll be standing next to this fine piece of ass.” Sirius danced out of the room to go wait for James in the library. They planned to all meet at the Leaky Cauldron at eleven.</p>
<p>Sirius and James arrived fifteen minutes late, much to James’s displeasure. Sirius had thought it would be funny to change all the clocks in the Potters’ home overnight so they were running fifteen minutes behind. He enjoyed the expression James made when he realized that they were late.</p>
<p>Lily and Marlene were enjoying a butterbeer in a booth at the Leaky Cauldron when the boys showed. Lily explained to them that Alice was going to join them later this afternoon. The girls cackled about how she had to spend the day with Frank’s mum. The boys scooted into the booth. Sirius sat next to Lily and winked at James. He tossed his arm over the back of the booth and let it hover above Lily’s shoulders.</p>
<p>James cleared his throat. “Lily, how has your summer been so far?”</p>
<p>Marlene snorted and rolled her eyes. “Don’t pretend that you two haven’t been writing back and forth daily. We all know you have been.” This earned her glares from both of them.</p>
<p>“You excited about getting to live in the Heads’ dorm this year, Lily?” The anticipation was killing him. He cried out and stared at Marlene when she kicked him hard in the shin. “What is wrong with you?”</p>
<p>“Lily didn’t make Head Girl.” Marlene muttered angrily through her teeth at him. James was a deer in the headlights as he looked at Lily across the table startled. She didn’t meet his gaze and held a chagrin look on her face.</p>
<p>James stuttered and ruffled up his hair. “Aww man, Lily I’m sorry. Dumbledore doesn’t realize what he’s done. Sirius, do you want a butterbeer?” The boy tripped as he was getting out the booth and made his way to the bar to order from Tom.</p>
<p>Lily tried hard to keep her laughter soft. She covered her smile with her hand. “You two were right, this is going to be so much fun. Thank you, Sirius.”</p>
<p>“Anything for Lilyflower,” Sirius winked at her. “Let me go talk to James for a minute.”</p>
<p>Sirius slid out of the booth smoothly. Lily laughed as she caught Marlene looking at his arse. It was a common thing that was brought up in their letters over that summer. Lily couldn’t help but agree with James that they just needed to shag and get it over with.</p>
<p>“Mate, maybe you should keep the fact that Dumbledore made you Head Boy a secret until we head to Hogwarts.” Sirius murmured to James as they made their way from bar to booth. “I think it’s a little fresh right now and you wouldn’t want her to go back to hating you on account of being made Head Boy when she didn’t make Head Girl.”</p>
<p>James eyed Sirius skeptically. It was very rare that Sirius made such a rational comment that something had to be going on. He said as much to his friend. “What are you playing at, Black?”</p>
<p>Sirius made himself look all innocent. “Just channelling my inner Moony. Oooh, have you told him yet?”</p>
<p>James cursed under his breath as they approached the booth. Remus would likely feel a little put out by the fact that a non-prefect had been made Head Boy. James made a mental note to let Remus know before they got to the Hogwarts Express.</p>
<p>The four Gryffindors finished their butterbeers and made their way to the alley behind the pub. Sirius tapped his wand on the wall and led the way into Diagon Alley. The normally packed street was not as full as they expected. Plenty of people still mingled and shopped but the current climate with You-Know-Who was putting many people on edge. The <em>Daily Prophet </em>had reported more missing witches and wizards earlier that week.</p>
<p>The girls let the boys drag them over to Quality Quidditch Supplies where they picked up things for the coming season. As they passed Madam Malkin’s, a green dress in the window made Lily stop. Her face fell a bit when she saw the cost on the tag. She smiled at Marlene who looped her arm through the redhead’s. James didn’t miss the crestfallen expression.</p>
<p>“Thinking of buying her a gift, are you?” Sirius quipped softly. He danced out of the arm that would have smacked him square in the chest.</p>
<p>The four of them were sitting at Fortescue’s enjoying ice cream when Alice appeared in the window. She smiled brightly and waved to them. “Thank goodness I finally found you! I’ve been looking for you lot everywhere!”</p>
<p>“How’s Mrs. Longbottom, Alice?” Marlene laughed at the face Alice pulled. The brunette launched into rant about her.</p>
<p>“The worst part is I didn’t even get to see Frank! He has been so busy with auror training that I hardly see him.” She elbowed Sirius who was making animated faces and pretending to be her as she complained. “At least I am getting some, Black.”</p>
<p>“You hearing this pipsqueak, McKinnon? Maybe we should head out and teach her a lesson.” Marlene blushed slightly and ducked her head a little. Lily and Alice looked at each. Neither had seen Marlene act bashful before.</p>
<p>They made their way to Flourish and Blotts, strategically making this the last stop since no one wanted to carry around stacks of books with them while they shopped. James caught Lily glance at the green dress in the window. After finishing with their shopping the girls started to make their way back the Leaky Cauldron where they would apparate to Marlene’s.</p>
<p>James stopped Sirius. “Sirius and I still have a few errands to run. Alice, Lily, we’ll see you on the train. Mar, mum says to come around for tea next Sunday with her and your gran.”</p>
<p>“Where are you going, James Potter?” Marlene raised her eyebrow and eyed the two boys. She spent enough time with them to know that they were up to something. “If you think you can step foot down Knockturn then you’re wrong. I’ll tell Auntie Eu.”</p>
<p>Sirius was near bouncing behind James. “Don’t worry, McKinnon. I’ll keep Prongs out of trouble.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Talking Heads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Lily sat against the foot of Marlene’s bed as she watched the blonde pace back and forth. Alice was sitting in the desk chair. Both couldn’t help but laugh at their tall friend. It had been a long time since she was the butt of the joke.</p>
<p>“So you gonna shag him or not?” Alice smirked.</p>
<p>“Lily, who is this tiny demon and where did sweet little Alice go? I don’t know when you got so bold.” Marlene scowled and crossed her arms. “This is a crisis.”</p>
<p>“Alice, is it just me, or are Black’s theatrics wearing off on her?” Lily ducked and covered her head as Marlene tossed a stuffed bear at her. “Come on, Mar. We’ve literally had this conversation every night this week. We all know that you and Sirius have crazy chemistry. What are you worried about?”</p>
<p>Marlene dropped down onto her bed. She mumbled something that neither of her friends heard. Lily poked her in the side. “I’m worried what happened with Remus will happen with Sirius.”</p>
<p>Lily climbed up on to the bed. “Not to be rude or anything, but you and Remus didn’t have what you’ve got going with Sirius. I hate to say it but you’re both rather physical people. Remus is sweet and you two had a lot in common but maybe that just wasn’t enough.”</p>
<p>The blonde girl sat up and wrapped her arms around Lily from behind. She settled her head on Lily’s shoulder. “So you think I should go for it?”</p>
<p>“Uh yeah, Mar. Lily and I think you should shag Sirius. Maybe Lily will give you the privacy of her Heads’ dorm so that you don’t have to worry about the other three walking in on you.”</p>
<p>“Speaking of, who do we think the Head Boy is?” Lily patted Marlene’s arm absent-mindedly. “They wouldn’t give it to two Gryffindors would they? I would actually enjoy this year if Remus was Head Boy. Michaels and Harris wouldn’t be bad to partner with but I’d refuse to work with Snape for a whole year. Let alone live with the git.”</p>
<p>“Careful, you’re starting to sound like James.” Marlene laughed and tickled Lily. “I don’t see why they wouldn’t make two Gryffindor Heads. I’m sure it’s been done before.” Marlene sent a knowing look over Lily’s shoulder to Alice who fought the urge to smile. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep a straight face.</p>
<p>“Well in that case, do you really want to shag Sirius in the dorm I’ll be sharing with Remus?” Lily tried to roll away from Marlene’s tickling. They fell off the bed in a heap. All three girls laughing.</p>
<p>“We can swap. You can sleep with James so that Sirius and I can have some privacy.”</p>
<p>Lily laughed. The thought of snuggling up to James was not as repulsive as it once was. “I can see what you’re doing, McKinnon. It won’t work. You can’t trick me into getting together with James.”</p>
<p>Marlene smirked. She enjoyed that Lily had already overlooked the fact that the plan was in full swing. Alice just shook her head. This year would certainly not disappoint for entertainment.</p>
<hr/>
<p>James had never been this early to the train. Ever. Sirius grumbled about how he should still be sleeping. There was no one on the platform. James pretended to ignore Sirius’s complaints about if James hadn’t been made Head Boy they wouldn’t be here this early and all the things it is ruining.</p>
<p>The boys dragged their trunks to the Marauders’ compartment. Sirius making remarks under his breath the whole way. They stowed their belongings before stepping off the train. “Gee James, you think we’re early enough?”</p>
<p>“Shut it, Padfoot. I don’t want to give Lily a reason to petition my removal as Head Boy before we even get to school.” They made their way up towards the Prefects’ carriage.</p>
<p>Sirius whistled as they walked in. “Moony never told us how fancy it is up here.” The boy fell onto a couch and propped his feet up onto the back of it. James continued to ignore him as he explored the carriage. Unlike the rest of the train, this carriage was compartment free and filled with squishy couches. James proudly pinned the Head Boy badge to his chest.</p>
<p>They played exploding snap for a while until Remus joined them. He had his prefect badge on but must have stored his belongings in the compartment before coming to the front of the train.</p>
<p>“Five knuts says Lily accuses James of stealing the Head Boy badge from me.” Remus laughed as he sat down on one of the couches.</p>
<p>“Well he did didn’t he?” Sirius laughed. “Though I have a feeling Dumbledore has his own ulterior motives for making James Lily’s Head Boy.”</p>
<p>Remus snorted. “Are you telling me that Dumbledore is playing matchmaker?”</p>
<p>“Five knuts says he is. Your bet was lame. Lily will absolutely accuse him of stealing the badge. It would be a better bet if we can guess her reaction when she realizes that he actually is Head Boy.”</p>
<p>“You two are being ridiculous.” James muttered and ruffled his hair. He took a look around the carriage and saw the board with names on it. All the prefects plus the heads were listed.</p>
<p>Sirius tapped out a beat on his thighs. “I think Lily will call him an arrogant prick and try to snatch the badge off his chest.”</p>
<p>“You might as well just give me the money then, Padfoot.” Remus laced his fingers behind his head and leaned back. “Lily is going glare at him for a split second before someone else walks in and she realizes she cannot publicly scrutinize Dumbledore’s decision to make James Head Boy. I propose we beat the two of them to the Heads’ dorm tonight and hide under the invisibility cloak to see how she responds when they’re alone.”</p>
<p>James looked at Remus flatly. Sometimes he forgot that Remus was as ingenious a troublemaker as him and Sirius.“Or you could not. Wait a minute. Lily didn’t make Head Girl. Marlene said so at the Leaky Cauldron. You two set me up!” James turned to the board and saw that his and Lily’s names were above the rest that fell in columns under their houses. A mischievous smirk stretched across Remus’s face but he said nothing in response. Sirius looked like Christmas had come early. James muttered curses under his breath as he glared at his friends.</p>
<p>Not long after Remus had arrived Lily and Marlene stepped into the carriage. “Sorry McKinnon, this carriage is for prefects only.”</p>
<p>Marlene gave Sirius an amused look. “So what are you doing here?”</p>
<p>“Waiting for the show.” Sirius sat up and leaned forward. Marlene grinned and went to sit beside him. They both watched Lily.</p>
<p>Lily didn’t see James at first. “If you’re here Black then Potter can’t be far away.” She turned her head to say hello to Remus when she saw James leaning against the carriage wall. Her eyes zeroed in on the badge on his chest. She was going to say something when Dorcas and Emmeline joined the group.</p>
<p>“Lily! We knew you’d make Head Girl!” Dorcas gave her former dorm mate a hug.</p>
<p>Lily smiled and thanked Dorcas before turning back to the problem at hand. She looked between the three boys trying to determine what her best course of action was. Sirius looked about ready to pee himself. Remus had a very smug look on his face which was unusual for him. Lily saw the prefect badge pinned to his chest. It was still plausible that he had made Head Boy and switched badges with James as a prank but she wasn’t going to make a scene in front of two of the students she was supposed to lead.</p>
<p>“Marlene, could you escort Sirius back to the compartment. We’ll join you once the train starts moving.” Lily did not notice the look Remus gave Sirius or the wink that passed between Sirius and Marlene. She stepped to the door and murmured something to Marlene that no one else heard. Marlene let out a laugh before she followed Sirius out.</p>
<p>“Dorcas, Emmeline,” James smiled nervously at them. He wasn’t sure what they would make of him being made Head Boy.</p>
<p>He had nothing to worry about. Neither girl seemed to take issue with his appointment. Emmeline sat down beside Remus and asked how his summer had been.</p>
<p>Lily inhaled deeply and then walked over to James. She took a moment to tell herself that this was not in her control and that to worry about it was a waste of mental space. Still she couldn’t resist to ask him. “Did you and Remus swap badges?”</p>
<p>James smiled. He wasn’t going to admit to Remus that she had asked him. Even if it wasn’t quite what his friend had bet it was still a half win. “I was as shocked when I got the letter as you are now. I swear it.”</p>
<p>Well, at least she knew they weren’t playing some type of prank on her. And he had grown up quite a bit in the last year. Lily quietly reviewed with James how the meeting worked as more prefects trickled into the carriage in twos and threes. Once all twenty-six upper students were present, Lily flicked her wand at the compartment door to dull the roar of students and families out on the platform. She and James stood near the board of names.</p>
<p>Remus laughed silently as he watched Lily do all the talking. James stood there a bit like a statue. Though when the Slytherin students complained about the schedule Lily had devised he stepped closer to her and gave them a very McGongall-esque look that shut them up.</p>
<p>The train started moving as Lily finished giving directions. She completely ignored the look Snape was giving her and James. She hoped that there wouldn’t be a fight between them on day one. She sent up a little prayer that Dumbledore had made the right decision.</p>
<p>The prefects trickled out of the carriage and down the train to wherever their friends were sitting. Lily, James, and Remus were the last to leave. Mostly because a handful of prefects came to ask Lily questions. James felt obligated to stay as he was Head Boy and Remus figured he might as well wait to walk with them.</p>
<p>Snape hovered by the door to the rest of the train. The Gryffindors noticed him when they finally turned to leave. Snape let the new fifth-year Hufflepuff prefect, Anna, leave before he stepped in from of the door.</p>
<p>“Interesting company you’re keeping these days, mudblood,” Snape sneered.</p>
<p>Lily didn’t so much as raise an eyebrow. She felt the boys tense up. “Ten points from Slytherin for derogatory language.”</p>
<p>“Prefects can’t take points from prefects.” Snape stepped forward and glared at her.</p>
<p>Lily pointed to her badge. “Now move.” Lily shoved past him and into the next carriage. James and Remus kept their faces straight and followed behind her.</p>
<p>“Have we ever told you how brilliant you are?” James asked in awe as they stepped into the third carriage down the train. Lily stopped and turned to face them. She had her no-nonsense face on.</p>
<p>“Let me make one thing clear, Potter.” Lily shoved her finger into his chest. “There will be no abuse of power with that badge. I took points from Snape to make a point and teach him a lesson but I will not be making a habit of it. Is that understood?”</p>
<p>James nodded. He reached for her wrist as she moved to turn around. “Remus, can you give us a minute, mate?” Remus moved past Lily and continued down the train. Lily tried to shake off James’s grip but scowled when he tightened it. He let go once he made sure she wasn’t going to run off. “I have no plans to abuse my power. I do have plans to keep Sirius in line this year and if that means I need to take points from him or report him I will. What do I need to do to prove to you that I am not playing around?”</p>
<p>Lily inhaled sharply. “I’m sorry. I’m terrified of messing this up.”</p>
<p>James tipped his head back and let a roar of laughter. “Lily, if that’s how you feel think of how I feel right now.” She hadn’t considered that James might actually be nervous about being Head Boy. They continued to the compartment towards the end of the train.</p>
<p>They heard their friends from almost four compartments away. To be more specific, they could hear Sirius Black from four compartments away. They walked in as a hand from exploding snap exploded. Taken by surprise Lily stepped back into James who kept her steady on her feet.</p>
<p>“Wotcher, Lily.” James gently nudged her forward so he could close the compartment door behind himself.</p>
<p>The other five had strategically left the two open seats beside each other. Granted there was a third open seat but Remus decided he need to stretch out his lanky limbs. James let Lily settle in one of the seats before he sat down beside her. He tried hard not to crowd her but Peter was on his other side. James couldn’t tell if Pete was pushing him towards Lily on purpose or not.</p>
<p>“So, party in the Heads’ dorm tonight?” Sirius bounced in his seat. Lily looked at him and sighed. It wasn’t worth giving him the satisfaction of a rise.</p>
<p>About an hour into the train ride, Remus stood up and stretched. Lily stood up and moved to follow him from the compartment. “Erm, Lily. I have patrol — with Dorcas.”</p>
<p>Lily realized in that moment that this year was going to be very strange. Not patrol with Remus? But they had patrolled together for two years. They knew each other’s moods and how to pass the time. Lily looked at James. She was going to have to patrol with him all year. And not just patrol but share a dorm with him?</p>
<p>“Sorry, force of habit.” Lily sat back down her seat. James pressed his leg ever so slightly into hers. He recognized this was going to be a lot for her to adjust to. Maybe he should have told her ahead of time. Curse Sirius and Marlene for convincing him Lily hadn’t been made Head Girl.</p>
<p>“Hey! How come you didn’t say something at the Leaky Cauldron. You let me believe those two tell me that you hadn’t made Head Girl.”</p>
<p>Lily smiled, “Sirius thought it would be funny to see your brain implode if you thought I wasn’t Head Girl. Though now that I realize it’s because you made Head Boy his joke makes so much more sense. Here I was thinking Remus was the smart Marauder.”</p>
<p>Sirius clicked his tongue twice and winked at Lily. “What made it even better for me and McKinnon was that you played along and didn’t have any clue that good ole Prongs here was going to be your partner.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>The seventh-year Gryffindors sang along to the Hogwarts school song after the Sorting. Lily had to admit that she felt a little melancholy. Alice teared up a bit. Marlene told them to pull themselves together. They mostly listened to Dumbledore’s start of term speech. Lily and James didn’t miss the twinkle in his eye as he looked towards them. Again, their friends had engineered the seating plan.</p>
<p>“Seems like the matchmaker is pleased with the seating arrangement.” Sirius murmured to Remus who was beside him. Remus elbowed him the ribs and told him to be quiet. “He did a much better job than we ever could. And to think, all it took was to make Lily and James Heads together.”</p>
<p>“Sirius, shut it.” Marlene grumbled and kicked him under the table. She missed and got Remus in the knee. She gave him an apologetic look and glared at the other boy.</p>
<p>Remus hissed and bit his lower lip to keep from swearing. “Remember, young ears are listening, Moony.”</p>
<p>“Padfoot, if you don’t shut up I’ll take points.” James and Remus muttered. Remus grinned and James shook his head.</p>
<p>When food appeared in front of the students, everyone dug in. Sirius piled food onto his plate in attempt to build a mountain taller than Everest. Everyone agreed that Sirius had disgusting eating habits. James made a comment about how no one would ever know Walburga Black had made him take etiquette lessons growing up. Sirius growled a ‘that’s the point’ through a mouthful of food.</p>
<p>At the end of the feast, Remus left to find Dorcas to help shepherd the first-years to Gryffindor Tower. The rest of the seventh-years joined the crowd of students leaving the Great Hall. It wasn’t until they got to the fourth floor that Sirius mentioned to Lily and James they were going the wrong way.</p>
<p>“How do you even know where the Heads dorm is, Black?” Lily scowled at him. That was twice now that she’d forgotten.</p>
<p>“Do you really want to know the answer to that, Lilyflower?”</p>
<p>Lily rolled her eyes and turned around back towards the stairs. James trailed behind her. She heard him tell Sirius to sod off and Marlene’s unmistakable cackle before she started walking down the stairs. “I really don’t want to know, do I?”</p>
<p>“You really, really don’t.” James was a pace behind her. He felt that familiar flop in his stomach.</p>
<p>They crossed a hallway and went up a flight of stairs that took them to the fifth-floor. The two students stopped in front of a painting of King Arthur. The painting inclined his head and stepped aside as the portrait swung forwards. James let Lily go first through the short tunnel that led into the Heads dorm. Once James stepped into the room a second portrait swung shut over the tunnel.</p>
<p>“The portrait will only open for us or a teacher. If someone —” James started to explain the way King Arthur’s portrait worked.</p>
<p>“Sirius. You can say it. I have come to terms with the fact that if I’m going to share a dorm with you then I’ll be sharing it with him. Just realize that you also get stuck with Marlene in this process.”</p>
<p>“If someone wants to visit, King Arthur will announce whomever the visitor is and we will have to allow them to come in.” James finished. He sat down in an armchair beside the fireplace. The room looked similar to that of the Gryffindor Common Room but on a much smaller scale. In one corner of the room were two desks. The center of the room was sunk in with two couches facing each other. The back wall had a small set of stairs that led to two doors. A third door on the wall to the left led to the loo.</p>
<p>Lily grinned in a devilish manner that would rival Sirius. “So if you’re not here and Sirius comes knocking, I get the satisfaction of keeping him waiting. I think I’m okay with this.” She smiled to herself and laid down on one of the couches.</p>
<p>James couldn’t help but grin to himself. “No, Sirius is not going to like that one bit.”</p>
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